Berhampur: Indian Navy ship INS Kuthar docked in Gopalpur port in Odisha’s Ganjam district with an aim to promote awareness with the local populace on coastal security and maritime operations.
The two-day visit of INS Kuthar on November 24 and 25 was organised after completion of the fourth edition of the pan-India coastal defence exercise ‘Sea Vigil-24’ on November 20 and 21. During the visit, the ship’s officers interacted with port officials and discussed berthing facilities and security overview of the port.
INS Kuthar, an indigenously designed and built guided missile corvette, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on June 7, 1990. The ship has a displacement of 1,400 tonne, length of 91 metre, beam of 11 metre and is capable of speed in excess of 25 knots.
The ship is manned by a crew of 12 officers and 120 sailors and is equipped with an array of weapons and sensors which include, surface-to-surface missiles, medium and close-range guns, shoulder launched surface-to-air missiles and chaff launcher. The ship is also capable of operating the Chetak helicopter, which enables it to perform various roles including, coastal and offshore patrolling, ocean surveillance and monitoring of Sea Lines of Communication, counter terrorism and anti-piracy operations.
INS Kuthar participated in the fourth edition of the ‘Sea Vigil-24’ aimed at raising awareness amongst coastal communities about maritime security, and thus, involvement of fishing communities, coastal populace, and students from NCC and Bharat Scouts and Guides will add to the fervour of the endeavour.
This exercise emphasised assessing the infrastructure and material readiness of essential coastal assets, including Marine Police Outposts, ports, lighthouses, fishing harbours, and fish landing centres. By ensuring the readiness of these assets and raising awareness, Sea Vigil-24 reinforces India’s commitment to secure and resilient coastal defence.
As part of Sea Vigil-24, a Coastal Defence and Security Readiness Evaluation (CDSRE) was conducted. The evaluation involved collaborative efforts by teams from the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, Marine Police, Customs and other state agencies engaged in coastal security in Odisha’s six coastal districts.
While coastal security exercises were conducted by individual coastal states and maritime security agencies regularly, Exercise Sea Vigil, coordinated by the Indian Navy, stands out as a national level initiative that provides a holistic appraisal of India’s maritime defence and security capabilities.