India’s first coast guard academy to come up at Mangalore

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is an Armed Force, Search and Rescue and Maritime Law Enforcement agency that protects India’s maritime interests and enforces its maritime law, with jurisdiction over the territorial waters of India, including its contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone. The Indian Coast Guard was formally established on 18 August 1978 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 of the Parliament of India. It operates under the Ministry of Defence. Historically trained at the Indian Naval Academy, it was after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack that the government recognised the importance of the coastal guard and decided to triple the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) force, assets and infrastructure. This resulted in the decision to establish an Indian Coast Guard Academy in 2009. 

 While several sites were inspected for the very purpose, the site at Azhikkal district in the state, Kerala was almost decided. As it was about 20km away from the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala. The two maritime academies were expected to share their resources. But the plan was dropped eventually because the proposed land fell under the CRZ-1(A) area where no construction is allowed and the Ministry of Environment and Forest denied Environment and Coastal Regulation Zone clearances for the project. 

Though a bit late, “The Academy is a long felt need that is finally materialising with the transfer of the land to the Indian Coast Guard.” according to DIG V K Vijay Kumar, spokesperson, ICG, reflecting his appreciation about the decision. Considering the fact that  the ICG trains its personnel through a set of in-house trained officers at a small facility at Kochi, the Academy will definitely help the personnel to provide and obtain specialized training and is definitely a “milestone towards professional maritime training”.