‘We don’t distinguish between nations’: Coast Guard chief on rescue operations

Director General of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Paramesh Sivamani.

Director General of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Paramesh Sivamani on Wednesday underscored the force’s commitment to saving lives at sea, saying it does not “distinguish between nations” while carrying out an effective search and rescue (SAR) operation.

Speaking to the reporters ahead of the 12th edition of the national level Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX-2026) to be conducted off Paradip coast on Thursday, he said several nations look up to India in the event of a crisis.

“We have enhanced our capacity, redefined the procedure and fine-tuned the standard operating procedure over the years. We have established a very robust system of SAR and all the nations in the Indian Ocean Region look up to Bharat in case there is a crisis or in a volatile situation that requires a SAR,” said the ICG chief.

Stating that they have built up the SAR capabilities from scratch, Sivamani said they have ensured that the ICG’s prowess of executing a good SAR operation is there for a larger good of humanity. “Whenever there is a crisis and our ships and aircrafts are required to the spot… we do that immediately,” he said.

During the inaugural event of SAREX, the ICG chief also emphasised that the future of maritime SAR hinges on advanced technological integration, real-time information sharing, and seamless inter-agency synergy.

Sivamani stressed the imperative for enhanced vessel tracking, robust distress-alert management, data-driven operational decision-making, and accelerated asset mobilisation. He also underscored that operational lessons derived from past missions and multi-agency exercises must directly translate into heightened mission readiness and response capabilities.

The SAREX-2026 exercise will witness participation and observation by 32 delegates from 30 foreign friendly nations. The multi-agency exercise aims to validate operational preparedness, enhance international interoperability, test joint response mechanisms, and foster the exchange of best practices – reaffirming the preservation of life at sea as the paramount objective of every mission.

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The 24th National Maritime Search and Rescue Board meeting was also held on the occasion and it deliberated on strengthening national and international SAR frameworks, recognising that maritime emergencies transcend geographic boundaries and necessitate synchronised coordination among global Rescue Coordination Centres and maritime safety agencies.

Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, who inaugurated the event, called upon all participating agencies and international partners to reaffirm their shared commitment to safeguarding lives at sea and to strengthen the spirit of cooperation that underpins effective search and rescue across the region.

Invoking the principle of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’, he said collective efforts can build a safer, more resilient and more cooperative maritime community.

Speaking on India’s efforts to strengthen its search and rescue capabilities, Seth said India’s journey in Satellite-Aided Search and Rescue has progressively evolved from Low Earth Orbit Search and Rescue (LEOSAR) to Geostationary Search and Rescue (GEOSAR) and now towards Medium Earth Orbit Search and Rescue (MEOSAR).

Sujit Bisoyi is a Special Correspondent with the Indian Express and covers Odisha. His interests are in politics, policy and people’s stories. He tweets at @bisoyisujit87 ... Read More