Indian Navy all set to host 4th Sea Vigil Exercise 2024

The Indian Navy is all set to host the 4th Sea Vigil exercises on 20 and 21 November 2024. The biennial Sea Vigil is a national-level coastal defence exercise that involves various other stakeholders responsible for India's coastal and maritime security. The third edition of the Sea Vigil was held in November 2022 and conducted under the overall leadership of the Indian Navy.

About the Sea Vigil Exercise 

The Sea Vigil exercise led by the Indian Navy was started in  2018, and it is held every two years. 

The Sea Vigil exercise is a precursor to the Indian Navy’s own ‘Theatre Level Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX)’, conducted every two years. 

The Sea Vigil exercise was conceptualised in India after the Mumbai terror attack of 2008 when Pakistani terrorists used the sea routes to attack Mumbai.

Regular exercises are conducted in the coastal states by the Indian Coast Guard under the code name Sagar Kavach to assess the coastal security in a particular coastal region of the country.

Participants of the Sea Vigil 2024

The Indian Navy will lead the 4th Sea Vigil exercise, which will include 6 central government ministries and 21 Organisations /Agencies related to coastal security, such as Customs, State marine police, Indian Coast Guard, etc.

The Indian Army and the Indian Air Force are also participating in the exercise.

Scope and Aim of the Sea Vigil Exercise 2024

The 4th edition of the Sea Vigil exercise will be conducted across the country's 11,098-kilometer coastline and 2.4 million square kilometres of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Sea Vigil exercise aims to;

• Create awareness amongst coastal communities like fishermen, coastal populations, etc., about maritime security,
• The exercise will also involve the students of the Bharat Scouts and Guides and National Cadet Corp (NCC).
• Strengthening the security of coastal assets like Oil Rigs, Ports, Cable Landing Points, Single Landing points and other important infrastructure.
• It will test the country’s preparedness regarding Maritime Security and Coastal Defence.
• The exercise will provide a realistic assessment of the nation's Maritime Security and Coastal Defence strengths and weaknesses.