General Studies 2022 GS Paper III 10 marks 150 words Compulsory Discuss

Q10

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

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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)

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Directive word: Discuss

This question asks you to discuss. The directive word signals the depth of analysis expected, the structure of your answer, and the weight of evidence you must bring.

See our UPSC directive words guide for a full breakdown of how to respond to each command word.

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

The directive 'discuss' requires a balanced treatment of both parts: first identifying maritime security challenges, then elaborating on organisational, technical and procedural initiatives. Structure as: brief intro → challenges (piracy, terrorism, smuggling, territorial disputes) → three-pronged initiatives → forward-looking conclusion within 150 words.

Key points expected

Challenges: piracy in Gulf of Aden, maritime terrorism (26/11 Mumbai attack via sea route), illegal fishing, drug/arms smuggling, Chinese presence in IOR, climate vulnerabilities
Organisational initiatives: Indian Navy's Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) project, Coastal Security Group, SAGAR doctrine
Technical initiatives: coastal radar chain, Automatic Identification System (AIS), satellite-based surveillance (GSAT series), coastal police stations with interceptor boats
Procedural initiatives: Coastal Security Scheme, joint coastal patrols (Navy-Coast Guard-State marine police), International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code compliance, bilateral agreements (White Shipping agreements)
Integration: mention of post-26/11 reforms like establishment of Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) and SOPs for coastal security

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	2	Covers both parts proportionally—challenges briefly, then substantial coverage of all three initiative categories (organisational, technical, procedural) without conflating them	Addresses both parts but treats initiatives as undifferentiated list or misses one category entirely; some imbalance in weightage	Only lists challenges without initiatives, or vice versa; fundamentally misunderstands 'discuss' as requiring elaboration not just enumeration
Content depth & accuracy	20%	2	Specific accurate references: IFC-IOR, NMDA, coastal radar chain, SAGAR, post-26/11 architecture; correct distinction between Navy, Coast Guard and marine police roles	Generic mentions of 'surveillance' and 'coordination' without naming specific schemes; minor factual errors like conflating Coast Guard with Navy functions	Outdated or incorrect information (e.g., mentioning obsolete schemes), confusing maritime security with blue economy, or purely generic security threats
Structure & flow	20%	2	Clear tripartite structure: challenges → three initiative categories with subheadings or clear transitions → conclusion; logical progression within tight word limit	Readable but mixed-up organisation; initiatives not clearly mapped to the three required dimensions; abrupt transitions	Disorganised stream of points; no discernible structure; repetition due to poor planning; exceeds or falls significantly short of word limit
Examples / case-law / data	20%	2	At least two specific examples: 26/11 as catalyst for reforms, IFC-IOR at Gurugram, White Shipping agreements with specific countries, or quantitative mention (7516 km coastline, 1382 islands)	One concrete example or vague references like 'after Mumbai attacks' without specifics; no data points	No examples at all; purely theoretical treatment; irrelevant examples from other countries without Indian context
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	2	Forward-looking synthesis: need for indigenous shipbuilding, cyber-secure maritime infrastructure, or Indo-Pacific strategic context; shows policy awareness beyond description	Summary restatement without new insight; generic call for 'more coordination' without specificity	No conclusion; ends abruptly with last initiative; or introduces entirely new challenges in conclusion; purely descriptive closure

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