Roles and responsibilities of India’s Maritime Security Coordinator in National Security Apparatus

The NMSC has been a long-awaited necessity since the Kargil GoM suggested it, and its importance was highlighted during the 2008 Mumbai massacre, when ten Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) armed men, aimed directly by ISI operators in Karachi, encroached into Mumbai and caused chaos and destruction, with maritime security agencies such as the Navy, Coast Guard, and Mumbai Port all figuratively at sea. The appointment of NMSC meets a pressing need, as the Navy, Coast Guard, and state maritime boards all function in silos with overlapping jurisdictions and are sometimes at odds. The Maritime Security Coordinator will report to the Indian National Security Council and serve as the government's primary advisor on maritime security issues.

The success of the NMSC will be determined by the legalese of his charter of accountabilities, which has yet to be revealed. Admiral Kumar's broad task, it seems obvious, would be to combat marine threats holistically. Prime Minister Modi's theme of "Security and Growth for All" is expected to guide him. Last year, at a UN Security Council debate, the Prime Minister expanded on the concept by proposing five criteria to protect the maritime domain's safety and security. Which include reducing barriers to marine trade, resolving disputes peacefully, preparing to face catastrophes and threats posed by non-state actors as a group, safeguarding the maritime environment and resources, and supporting responsible maritime connectivity. Admiral Kumar will, without a doubt, have to get up and running right away. Despite advancements in coastal security and marine agency collaboration, state governments have been hesitant to adopt a larger role in coastal security. Systemic weaknesses in the security architecture remain unaddressed, ranging from a lack of maritime police stations to the underutilization of patrol boats for coastal operations, the lack of shore-based infrastructure, as well as staff shortages and unspent cash. The NMSC's first priority will be to discover measures to close the gap.

According to some reports, India's maritime security services are overly focused on the terrorist threat, ignoring non-traditional threats like people trafficking, illicit fishing, climate-related disasters, and maritime pollution. Admiral Kumar will work to restore equilibrium by enhancing exchanges between the navy, coast guard, marine police, and other government institutions. Security at India's minor ports, where efforts to streamline governance (after the passage of the Indian Ports Bill, 2021) have been severely panned, may also require more investigation. The NMSC would focus on the state of coastal surveillance, namely the need for more coastal radars and Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) on small boats, in addition to regulating the interactions between various stakeholders. Human intellect, too, requires increased focus for improved domain awareness. Given the overlapping jurisdictions of maritime agencies, the NMSC will be looking to avoid resurfacing past issues of insufficient intelligence sharing. The importance of marine development cannot be overstated. The Government has attempted to construct military and civilian infrastructure in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in recent years, but environmentalists fear that the flurry of infrastructure projects proposed could harm the islands' fragile nature. It remains to be seen if the NMSC will be required to provide development and marine conservation guidance.

While India has suffered from marine myopia due to continental security theories for centuries, the country is traditionally and geo strategically a maritime nation with over 7000 km of coastline and over 2 million km of Exclusive Economic Zone. With the Modi government clearing the Deep Ocean Mission for blue water economy on June 16, over 70% of Indian trade, including essential crude oil, is moved by sea, and protecting sea shipping lanes is critical to India's security. Nine coastal states and four union territories in India consider that maritime and coastal security is the duty of the central government and that they are doing nothing to raise marine domain awareness. With China shifting to a sea-based security strategy and invading the Indian Ocean via Pakistan and Myanmar, the post of NMSC will be critical for maritime and energy security, as Beijing wants to reach the eastern seaboard of Africa via the Indian maritime domain.

Admiral Kumar's overall goal would be to come to a compromise among India's numerous maritime partners. For the time being, he would most probably be asked to collaborate with the National Committee for Strengthening Maritime and Coastal Security (NCSMCS), which serves as the highest review body for maritime and coastal security. However, in the long run, the NMSC will have to reconcile differing perspectives and visions of India's maritime security. That is, without a doubt, a hard task. The development of the NMSC, on the other hand, is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Act East Policy, SAGAR (Security and Growth of All in the Region), Deep Ocean Mission, and Sagarmala project, which aims to upgrade India's 12 major ports to world-class standards.

Notes

1. India to appoint National Maritime Security Coordinator for maritime security | Latest News India - Hindustan Times: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-to-appoint-national-maritime-security-coordinator-for-maritime-security-101626154622796.html

 2.  India Appoints 1st National Maritime Security Coordinator – The Diplomat: https://thediplomat.com/2022/02/india-appoints-1st-national-maritime-security-coordinator/

3.   India's new Maritime Security Coordinator is 22 years too late. But it ticks many boxes: https://theprint.in/opinion/brahmastra/indias-new-maritime-security-coordinator-is-22-years-too-late-but-it-ticks-many-boxes/836242/

4.     India Gets First National Maritime Security Coordinator G Ashok Kumar: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/govt-appoints-first-national-maritime-security-coordinator-2772645

5.  First coordinator for national maritime security appointed, to report to NSA | India News,The Indian Express: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/ashok-kumar-first-coordinator-for-national-maritime-security-appointed-7777016/

6.   India’s Maritime Security Coordinator has his mission cut out | ORF: https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/indias-maritime-security-coordinator-has-his-mission-cut-out/

7.    14 years after 26/11, India gets maritime security coordinator | India News - Times of India: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-gets-its-first-national-maritime-security-coordinator/articleshow/89622219.cms

8.    NMSC : Proposed after 26/11, India to finally get maritime coordinator | India News - Times of India: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/proposed-after-26/11-india-to-finally-get-maritime-coordinator/articleshow/87691943.cms

Pic Courtsey-Indian Navy Twitter Handle

(The views are those of the author and do not represent views of CESCUBE.)