Why is maritime security vital to protect India's sea trade ? Discuss maritime and coastal security challenges and the way…

With an 11,098 km coastline, over 90% of India’s international trade by volume (70% by value) and more than 80% of crude oil imports transit the Indian Ocean Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) through critical chokepoints like the Straits of Hormuz and Malacca. Ensuring an unhindered maritime environment is therefore indispensable for India’s energy security, export competitiveness, and sustained economic growth.

Maritime and Coastal Security Challenges

• Non-Traditional Threats: Resurgent piracy in the Gulf of Aden, maritime terrorism (evidenced by the 26/11 Mumbai attacks), narcotics and arms smuggling, and Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing threaten commercial lanes.
• Strategic & Grey-Zone Threats: China’s expanding presence through the "String of Pearls" strategy, dual-use port infrastructure, and regular PLA Navy submarine deployments contest India’s primary area of interest.
• Coastal Vulnerabilities: India's coastal borders, particularly along Sir Creek and the Sundarbans, remain porous. Tracking thousands of small fishing vessels lacking transponders, securing numerous uninhabited islands in the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep archipelagos, and bridging coordination gaps among state marine police forces pose persistent operational hurdles.

The Way Forward

• Strengthening Domain Awareness: Expedite the National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) project and expand the Coastal Surveillance Network (CSN) alongside the Indian Navy’s Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC).
• Regional Cooperation: Leverage the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision, expanded in 2025 into MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions), expand White Shipping Information agreements, and deepen security architecture via IORA and BIMSTEC.
• Grassroots & Physical Capacity: Mobilize coastal fishing communities as eyes and ears through the Sagar Rakshak Dal, mandate satellite transponders on all mechanized boats, and scale up indigenous naval shipbuilding to harmonize national security with blue economy goals.