Paradip: An annual two-day maritime exercise named ‘Sagar Kavach’, which is jointly carried out by Odisha and West Bengal, began along the Paradip coast on Thursday.
The aim of the exercise is to keep a vigil on the shoreline of the two neighbouring states to stop the infiltration of terror elements.
The Indian Coast Guard, Maritime Police, coastal district officials, Paradip Port Trust, Fisheries Department, Customs, Marine Enforcement Wing (MEW), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Light House staffers and local fishermen are participating in the exercise.
The maritime exercise along the Odisha coast had begun after 10 Pakistan-based terrorists had launched coordinated shooting and bombing attacks in Mumbai killing 166 people and injuring over 300 people on November 26, 2008.