Kochi: The Coast Guard has been growing
swiftly into a formidable force by increasing its fleet of
surface and air units to counter emerging maritime threats to
the sovereignty and economic stability of the nation, Defence
Minister A K Antony said here today.
Speaking after presenting awards and honours to Coast
Guard personnel at an investiture ceremony here, he said
coastal security cannot be ensured by one agency alone, but
should be a teamwork of all stakeholders like the Navy, Coast
Guard, Central Excise, Marine police, fisheries, CISF and
other players in the maritime domain.
"All agencies must work in consonance with each other in
order to strengthen coastal security," he said.
Antony said the Centre has sanctioned funds to the Navy
and Coast Guard for newer acquisitions and pointed out that
all pending cases of acquisitions are also being cleared on a
Fast Track basis, "leaving no stone unturned in protecting our
national security and the threat emanating from seas."
The growth of the force would not be hampered and would
have the government`s fullest support for rapid expansion, he
said.
At the ceremony, Inspector General Satya Prakash Sharma,
Commander, Coast Guard Region (North West) received the
President`s Tatrakshak Medal for distinguished service, while
Inspector General Khajan Chandra Pande Received the Tatrakshak
Medal for meritorious service.
Among the nine persons awarded the Tatrakshak medal for
gallantry were Commandant Deepak Sharma, Commandant (junior
Grade) Ashok Kumar Yadav, Commandant (Juniro Grade), Narendra
singh, Deputy Commandant Aravind Kumar Tyagi, Deputy
commandant, Sidharth Bhandari, Deputy Commandant, Roshan Singh
Pal (Uttam Adhikari RP), Pradeep Kumar (Uttam Navik (EMP) and
Manish (Naqvik (QA).
Vice Admiral K N Sushil, Flag Officer Commanding-in-chief
and Vice Admiral Anil Chopra Director General of the Coast
Guard and senior Coast guard and Navy officers were present at
the function.
PTI
