Essay On Maritime Security

1. Riding on the process of global economic integration, the maritime domain has witnessed rapid transformation in the last few decades. The global commons have become the life-blood of global prosperity. The security and welfare of nations, especially coastal states such as India, has become increasingly dependent on enforcement of law and order at sea. Acts of maritime terrorism cause economic losses, human casualties and environmental damage with global ramifications. Unabated piracy off Somalia has amply demonstrated the vulnerability of international shipping at strategic choke-points. The events of Nov 08 at Mumbai, have demonstrated the risk to national security by even small fishing craft. Similarly, infrastructure in the coastal and off-shore zones, such as critical installations and oil exploration platforms, could also be targeted. This domain therefore, offers a vast, and largely unsecured medium for exploitation by state as well as non-state actors.

2. Maritime Security is seriously handicapped if there is inadequate knowledge of activities being conducted in the maritime

Trends over the last decade indicate the resolve and determination of non-state actors to use the maritime domain to the detriment of the country’s security interests. The incidents of Jan 93 and 26 Nov 08 clearly corroborate this. The perpetrators of such crimes have also shown ability to adapt to evolving technology and appear to be well networked. On the other hand, security forces and other agencies have at times, been frustrated by an information deficit as well as absence of an institutionalised mechanism for sharing information about events and activities at sea, which can prevent such incidents. Information of all activities that take place at sea, obtained primarily through technical means, provides fore-warning of any impending threat. When such information is shared with concerned agencies over a network, threats can be neutralised, thus strengthening maritime