Bhubaneswar: A two-day joint coastal security exercise, ‘Sagar Kavach’, began on Tuesday at Paradip along the Odisha coast, with a primary focus on enhancing maritime surveillance, inter-agency coordination, and readiness to counter potential threats, including terrorist infiltration via sea routes.
The large-scale mock drill involves around 18 central and state agencies, including Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, Marine Police, CISF, Forest Department, Fisheries Department, Customs, district administration, Paradip Port authorities, and several industrial units.
This marks the first such comprehensive joint exercise of the year along the Odisha coastline.
Officials described the drill as a critical measure to test and strengthen the multi-layered coastal security architecture.
Similar exercises are held twice annually across various coastal states. Their importance surged after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, prompting the central government to prioritise robust mechanisms to prevent seaborne threats nationwide.
During the exercise, participants are divided into two teams: the “Red Team” simulates terrorist infiltrators attempting to breach coastal areas through maritime routes, while the “Blue Team” — comprising security forces — focuses on detection, interception, and neutralisation of the simulated threats. Real-time surveillance operations, coordinated response strategies, and emergency handling scenarios form the core of the drill, helping identify operational gaps and refine standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Simultaneous drills are being carried out in deep-sea areas as well as along the coast. Odisha Police has launched parallel mock drills under ‘Sagar Kavach’ in Astaranga, Chandrabhaga, Talabania and Arakhakuda. Security has also been heightened in sensitive locations such as the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Sun Temple at Konark and Mangala Temple at Kakatpur.
An advisory was issued for fishermen, boat owners, fishing society members, and the general public in advance in districts such as Balasore, urging caution in areas like Udaipur, Talasari, and Kirtania beaches during the exercise period.
