The commissioning of these ships is of great significance for the Coast Guard, that is the nodal agency for oil spill response in India's Exclusive Economic Zone under the National Oil Disaster Contingency Plan.
Amidst escalating regional tensions, Sri Lanka is carefully considering its response after a second Iranian ship requested entry into its waters following a reported US submarine attack on an Iranian frigate near Galle.
Of the 22 crew members on board the ship, MV Wan Hai 503, 18 have abandoned the vessel and are being rescued by Indian Navy and Coast Guard assets, he said.
Two India-bound LPG tankers have crossed the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions in the region, while an India-flagged vessel sank after being hit near the strategic shipping corridor.
The Coast Guard has secured the release of 72 Indian fishermen from the custody of Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, which had held them in the Arabian sea off Jakhau coast since Friday.
At least 101 people are missing and 78 are injured after a suspected submarine attack on an Iranian naval ship off Sri Lanka's southern coast on Wednesday, Reuters quoted sources in Sri Lanka's Navy and defence ministry as saying.
One Indian oil tanker successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz, while others turned back after Iran signalled the waterway's closure, amidst rising tensions and disruptions to global energy flows.
The overnight operation in the Arabian Sea was carried out in coordination with the Gujarat Anti-terrorism Squad and the Narcotics Control Bureau, it said.
There is no word yet on the progress of rescue operations for the accommodation barge SS-3 and the Sagar Bhushan oil rig.
Indian Coast Guard on Saturday said suspicions were raised about the identity of crew of the explosives-laden boat intercepted by them, as they did not resemble fishermen from their dressing style and carried no nets.
Containers from a Liberian cargo ship that sank off the Kerala coast have started washing ashore, prompting authorities to urge the public to stay away from them. The ship carried 13 hazardous cargos, including calcium carbide, which reacts with seawater to release highly flammable acetylene gas. The Indian Coast Guard is leading pollution response efforts and monitoring the spread of the oil slick.
India has raised concerns with Iran over the safety of merchant shipping after two vessels were fired upon in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting them to turn back.
Iran has reimposed restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, with its forces opening fire on a passing tanker and forcing at least two Indian vessels to reverse course, escalating tensions in the region and raising concerns over energy supplies.
India summoned the Iranian envoy after two Indian vessels had to reverse course in the Strait of Hormuz following an incident of firing by Iran's Revolutionary Guards.
The navy launched a SeaKing chopper at 7:58 am from INS Shikra, Colaba, while CG launched two Chetak helicopters at around 8:40 am for the rescue operation.
In a sea-air coordinated operation, narcotics worth Rs 480 crore were seized from a Pakistani boat with six crew in the Arabian Sea near Porbandar by a multi-agency team led by the Indian Coast Guard, the defence ministry said on Tuesday.
The Coast Guard intercepted a Pakistani fishing trawler with 13 crew members onboard on Wednesday, November 22, 2023.
More than 300 coastal security exercises have been conducted with state authorities post the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack to beef up the country's security, Indian Coast Guard Director General K Natarajan said on Thursday.
Fifteen ships belonging to both the Coast Guard and the Indian Navy are a part of the search mission, in addition to the advanced Boeing Poseidon P81 surveillance aircraft.
'We kept our bags packed, ready to jump into the sea. Many times, I felt it could be my last day.'
The Coast Guard ships intercepted and apprehended the Pakistani boat 'Al Haj' when it ventured into the Indian waters
Muthukrishnan was one of the passengers on the IAF flight that has gone missing in the Bay of Bengal.
With the search for the missing Coast Guard Dornier aircraft with three crew members making no headway, more ships will join the operation and a review of the situation is on, a top official said on Wednesday.
The chairman of maritime company Safesea Group has described the attack on the US-owned crude oil tanker Safesea Vishnu, which resulted in the death of an Indian crew member, as "deliberate and calculated". He emphasised the need for governments to ensure the safety of commercial shipping lanes and seafarers.
The coast guards of India, Japan, the US and Australia have launched the first-ever "Quad-at-sea" mission to boost operational coordination and interoperability in the Indo-Pacific.
The Sri Lanka Navy rescued 32 Iranian sailors from a sinking naval ship off the southern coast, while also recovering several bodies. The incident occurred outside Sri Lankan waters but within its search and rescue zone.
The Indian Coast Guard apprehended a Pakistani fishing boat with ten crew members in Indian waters in the Arabian sea off the Gujarat coast, it said on Sunday.
India's fertiliser subsidy bill for the current financial year (FY27) is projected to increase by approximately 20% due to surging global prices, primarily driven by the West Asia crisis, a senior official confirmed. Despite this, retail prices for urea and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) will remain unchanged, ensuring adequate supply for the kharif season.
The CG and ATS personnel seized the boat Al Sakar which had 50 kg heroin on board, in the Arabian Sea, the official said.
The Indian Defence Ministry has approved the procurement of weapons and military hardware worth Rs 2.38 crore, including S-400 missiles and medium transport aircraft, to bolster the Indian Air Force's capabilities.
A court in Thane, Maharashtra, has denied bail to a junior service engineer accused of leaking sensitive information about warships and submarines to Pakistani nationals, citing the serious nature of the offence.
The US blockade on Iranian ports is aimed to curb Iranian energy exports, thereby crippling its economy to force Iran back to the negotiating table, points out Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
Authorities are treating the sightings as a serious security and environmental matter, putting coastal villages on alert and intensifying patrolling on beaches.
The US Coast Guard seized a Russian oil tanker, the Marinera, in the North Atlantic. The crew includes three Indian citizens. Moscow has protested the seizure, calling it a violation of international maritime law and demanding humane treatment of the crew.
The tanker reportedly switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponder while navigating the high-risk stretch of the strait and reappeared on tracking systems on March 9.
The Indian Coast Guard has seized 1,500 kg of heroin.
Saturday's drone attack on MV Chem Pluto came amid increasing concerns over various commercial vessels being targeted reportedly by Iran-backed Houthi militants in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Two Panamanian cargo ships collided on Saturday off the Mumbai coast causing an oil spill from one of the vessels but no casualties were reported, Indian Coast Guard officials said.
The Coast Guard has increased surveillance along the Gujarat coast, after a Pakistani boat blew itself off Porbandar on New Year's Eve.
India has approved proposals to procure weapons and military hardware worth Rs 79,000 crore, including Nag missiles, amphibious warfare ships, and electronic intelligence systems, to enhance the military's combat capabilities.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances