What are the maritime security challenges in India? Discuss the organisational, technical and procedural initiatives taken to…

What are the maritime security challenges in India? Discuss the organisational, technical and procedural initiatives taken to improve the maritime security. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

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भारत में समुद्री सुरक्षा चुनौतियाँ क्या हैं? समुद्री सुरक्षा में सुधार के लिए की गई संगठनात्मक, तकनीकी और प्रक्रियात्मक पहलों की विवेचना कीजिए। (150 शब्दों में उत्तर दीजिए)

The question as printed in the 2022 General Studies paper

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Model answer

Drafted with AI by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 150-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key. How we build rubrics and answers.

India’s long coastline and IOR trade make maritime security central. Challenges include piracy in the Gulf of Aden, sea-route terrorism (26/11 Mumbai), illegal fishing, drug/arms smuggling, Chinese presence in the IOR, and climate vulnerabilities. Organisationally, the Indian Coast Guard (lead agency for coastal security), the Navy’s IFC-IOR and NC3I network, the NMDA project and the SAGAR (now MAHASAGAR) vision integrate surveillance and diplomacy. Technically, a coastal radar chain, AIS, Oceansat/RISAT/Cartosat satellites, and coastal police stations with interceptor boats enhance detection. Procedurally, the Coastal Security Scheme, joint Navy-Coast Guard-State marine police patrols, ISPS Code compliance, and White Shipping agreements regulate ports, vessels and information sharing. Post-26/11 reforms strengthened the earlier Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) and coastal SOPs. Yet gaps remain in data fusion, coastal policing capacity, and Indo-Pacific coordination.

How this answer will be evaluated

Framework: Security: classify threat, vulnerability, response

What earns full marks: Clear classification of challenges and distinct, specific examples for all three initiative types.

Evaluation rubric

Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.

The answer Identify maritime challenges and categorize initiatives into organizational, technical, and procedural. 10 marks · 150 words

discuss— intro → 3-4 dimensions → example → balanced close
Must cover
- Identify 3-4 specific maritime security challenges (e.g., piracy, smuggling, IUU fishing).
- List organizational initiatives (e.g., Coast Guard, Navy, Joint Command).
- List technical initiatives (e.g., surveillance, radar, drones, AIS).
- List procedural initiatives (e.g., port security, information sharing, drills).
Loses marks
- Generic security writing without specific maritime context.
- Failing to distinguish between organizational, technical, and procedural.
- Newspaper summary style without analytical structure.
Earns more
- Mentions specific agencies like Indian Coast Guard or Navy.
- References specific technical systems like the coastal radar chain, AIS or the NC3I network.
- Links initiatives directly to the identified challenges.
- Balanced structure covering all three requested dimensions.
Extra mark
- Mentions specific current schemes or recent operational successes.
- References specific international agreements or port state control.

What "Discuss" is asking you to do

Lay the issue out from more than one side — how it arose, what is claimed for it, what is held against it, and where it now stands. UPSC attaches discuss to broad topics with several live dimensions, so coverage of the dimensions earns more than the strength of your opinion.

Structure that answers it

Set the issue up → the case as it is made → the case against → the dimension both sides leave out → where the balance now lies

Where marks are lost

Listing facts with no thread between them, or arguing one side throughout and calling it a discussion.

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