India's National Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence Centre (NC3I) Goes Operational

[Chanakya's_Chant]

Maritime surveillance goes hi-tech

​

Indian Navy has set up a next-gen intelligence system to beef up its surveillance and patrolling duties​

At the click of a mouse, the Indian Navy will be able to track the movement of ships and fishing boats plying in the waters all along India’s 7,500-km-long coastline. It has set up a Command Centre in Gurgaon which will receive real-time radar feed and pictures taken by high-definition cameras, satellites and maritime surveillance aircraft. The footage will be exactly the same as captured by 46 coastal radar stations now operating in remote areas of the country.

Called the Information Management Analysis Centre (IMAC), the command post will enable the Indian Navy and other stakeholders in coastal security to take effective action in case a rogue ship or boat is detected.

This Rs.450-crore project, also known as National Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence Centre (NC3I), was launched soon after the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, when Pakistani terrorists managed to reach the city undetected due to gaps in coastal surveillance. The Command Centre, which is the nodal centre of the NC3I network, will go a long way in plugging these gaps through round-the-clock surveillance by radars, high-definition electro optic cameras and satellites, according to Admiral Kishan Pandey, assistant chief of naval staff communication, space and network centric operations.

An officer sitting at his console in the Gurgaon centre can access real time information on his computer screen about traffic of ships and boats in his designated zone, be it waters of Chennai or remote islands in Andaman & Nicobar. In the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks, at least 46 coastal radar stations at strategic locations in all the nine littoral states continuously monitor sea lanes. These stations in turn relay information to six core centres located in Gandhinagar (Gujarat), Mumbai, Chennai, Port Blair, Visakhapatnam and Kochi.

With the main centre at Gurgaon becoming functional, which is 80% indigenised, the officer will also get the information or visual data as seen by his counterparts manning the radar stations. All the stations, core centres and main command posts are connected with a high-tech computer network through especially-developed Coastal Surveillance and Decision Support software system designed and managed by the Navy.

The ‘Decision making or Decision support software’ as it is called has been bought from the US-based company Raytheon, but has been customised by the in-house naval IT software experts in developing their own algorithms. “It is hack-proof after being certified by Scientific Analyst Group under the wings of DRDO,” Pandey explained. The software has incorporated data about fishing boats and trawlers engaged in their trade in Indian waters through Automatic Identification System (AIS) chips. However, 30,000-odd small fishing boats are yet to be issued these chips as fishermen are demanding them free of cost. The state governments, through their respective fisheries departments, are likely to complete this process in the coming months.

There are more than 200,000 small and medium-size fishing boats and 60,000 to 70,000 boats venturing out into the sea to catch fish every day. The AIS covers boats weighing more than 300 tonnes or those that are 20 metres long. The Navy is urging the state governments to issue AIS to smaller boats to ensure that all boats out in the sea are identifiable.

Information about all merchant ships, be it Indian or foreign, passing through Indian waters or close by is also part of the software as it is now linked to the World Shipping Register. This will help the officer concerned to track the movement of the ships and take steps if any of them deviates from its path or is found sailing in a suspicious manner.

The Navy and Coast Guard, with the help of state governments, are going to install transponders in all private boats of Indian fishermen to locate their position in the sea. These transponders will be connected through the NC31.

The Navy will install 1,000 transponders in private boats of Gujarat fishermen as a pilot project. The installation of more transponders will depend on the success rate. The 350-km coastal area from Karwar to Bhatkal and Mangalore will be monitored closely due to vulnerabilities.

According to defence minister Manohar Parrikar, who had recently inaugurated the Gurgaon centre, “There is no radar station in these areas and hence in past some years, terror exports would take place from these regions especially in Bhatkal. Apart from that there is no such radar station from Ratnagiri to Goa. Even, Goa was becoming a smuggling centre some 30 years ago. These areas must come under the surveillance to minimise anti-national activities.”

The IMAC is envisaged to function as the nodal centre for collecting inputs from various static sensors and radars that were installed along the coast under the Coastal Surveillance Network (CSN) as well as from satellite imageries. Its tasks include analysing these inputs and disseminating them among concerned agencies to ensure a gapless surveillance of the entire coastline. The centre forms part of the National Command Control and Communication and Intelligence Network (NC3IN) which connects 20 naval and 31 coast guard stations along the coast that have been jointly developed by the Indian Navy, the Indian Coast Guard and Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL). The BEL has set up the coastal radars that are running on X and S band.

The IMAC at present has the ability to track marine vessels operating between the Malacca Strait and the Persian Gulf and can trigger off an alarm if any ship’s movement is deemed suspicious.

Source:- Maritime surveillance goes hi-tech | The Financial Express

 

[kaku1]

nothing for north east!!! that sucks!!

Its for navy, not for Army.

 

[Ammyy]

Is their any backup for this system, I mean in case for disaster or war.

 

[Iggy]

nothing for north east!!! that sucks!!

Wait till Bangladesh is under the sea..

 

[mehboobkz]

nothing for north east!!! that sucks!!

Northeast IS landlocked = Not a part of Indian Peninsula.

 

[PARIKRAMA]

Excellent work. The vast coastline is not only a threat from terrorism but also from smugglers, piracy and counterfeit currency movements. A real time tracking system is the need of the hour. Coupled with Coast guards getting new vessels and capability over next few years and IN strategic induction of ships, this C3i will have multiple effects in times to come by..

 

[Abingdonboy]

Is their any backup for this system, I mean in case for disaster or war.

Of course there will be redundancy built into all such critical systems.

 

[Raje amar]

One question..... Why is it in Gurgaon? Makes it easy target for air raid or missile attack.

It should have been to the center. More like Nagpur, Hydrabad...

 

[Ammyy]

One question..... Why is it in Gurgaon? Makes it easy target for air raid or missile attack.

It should have been to the center. More like Nagpur, Hydrabad...

NCR is highly protected zone on India with S300 and other hardware so its one of best place to built it and I sure as @Abingdonboy said their will be redundancy of entire system some where in country in case of disaster.

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

India To Set Up 32 Coastal Radar Surveillance System In Seychelles, Mauritius And Sri Lanka​

In a move to deepen security ties with neighboring countries and to counter Chinese maritime traffic, India will set up 32 Coastal Radar Surveillance (CSR) stations with navigational military radars in Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives and Sri Lanka, Local media reported Tuesday.

“On the first leg of the visit, Modi will stop in Seychelles. One of Modi’s key engagements will be handing over of a CSR system,” Navtej Sarna, Secretary in the Foreign Ministry told reporters.

India plans to have eight stations in Seychelles, five of which would be at Mahe and three located in the outer islands. Mauritius will also have eight radar networks, while Maldives will have 10 of them. Former Defense Minister A K Anthony had commissioned the stations in Mauritius about two years ago.

Sri Lanka has six automatic identification system (AIS) and electro-optical instruments as of now. Other islands will have maritime navigational radar operating on I-band frequency, AIS and electro-optical system for imaging. India can use the data to keep an eye on the Chinese maritime traffic.

Another country that India is planning to set up CSRs is the Maldives, defence sources said adding that an MoU for 10 such systems is yet to be signed.

Source:- India To Set Up 32 Coastal Radar Surveillance System In Seychelles, Mauritius And Sri Lanka

India Commissions its First Coastal Surveillance Radar System (CSRS) in Seychelles

Victoria (Seychelles), Mar.11 (ANI): India has never really taken its attention off from the South and South-West Indian Ocean (SSWIO) region, even though China is increasing its footprint in the region.

While India is uncomfortable with the Chinese presence here, there is no cause yet for alarm bells to ring.

Moreover, India shares close historical and non-threatening security ties with countries in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Prime Minister Modi's visit to Seychelles is a step in this direction to increase people-to-people connectivity and security linkages with the island nation.

Former Chinese President Hu Jintao was in Seychelles in 2007, and the last time that an Indian Prime Minister was here on an official visit was in 1981.

Seychelles had offered China its harbor for refueling and docking of Chinese warships stationed in the Gulf of Aden for anti-piracy operations.

Quite naturally, India was alarmed with the development, though Beijing tried to assuage Indian fears that it was not looking at Seychelles as a military base, but only as a pit stop for refueling purposes.

India has got cracking into setting up its eyes and ears in the Indian Ocean. Military coastal radar stations are to be set in several countries in the Indian Ocean Region with active participation with partner countries.

It would enable these countries to combat piracy while helping India keep a track of suspicious Chinese moves too.

Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate one such station in Mahe on Tuesday.

India has often come to the assistance of Seychelles in battling piracy, something that threatens many countries in this region. India has given Dornier Do 228s and Chetak helicopters. India also provides military training and capacity building to Seychelles in fighting piracy. India has worked to enhance Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) and Search and Rescue capacity building in Seychelles.India has traditionally been the main defense provider for Seychelles - providing armaments and training to its Seychelles Peoples' Defense Forces.

In 2014, India had gifted a naval ship INS Tarasa to Seychelles to augment surveillance and patrolling capacity of Seychelles waters that covers an EEZ of over 1.3 square kilometers. The ship was rechristened PS Constant upon induction into the fleet of the Seychelles Coast Guard. It is the second Indian naval ship to be gifted to Seychelles after PS Topaz in 2006.

Three Indian Naval Ships-INS Deepak, INS Mumbai and INS Talwar have made port calls in Victoria from the 6th of November to the 9th of November 2014.

The two sides also have a military cooperation agreement, whereby, India has trained Seychelles People's military personnel in combat operations.

President James Michael during his visit to India in 2010 acknowledged India's help to his country, saying, "India was the first country which came to Seychelles' assistance in the fight against piracy. We greatly appreciate the continued support of the government and people of India. India is our ideal partner. We need to build bridges to connect our countries and bring our people together."

The newly constituted High Level Joint Defence Coordination Committee sets the agenda for bilateral defence and security cooperation between Seychelles and India.

ITEC deputationists, including a Military Adviser, Maritime Security Advisor, Medical Advisor and Naval Technical Advisor have been deployed with the SPDF.

Though India along with Russia and China is not part of the 25-nation combined Task Force 15 (CTF-150) battling piracy out of Bahrain, its ships and boats have patrolled the region.

The sea-lanes of the Indian Ocean are vast and are rich targets for pirates who have made this region the most lucrative area for activities.

There are many politically weak and economically vulnerable states that are unable to contribute in international efforts to combat pirates.

The pirates of today are well armed, have sophisticated weapons and smoothly transfer ransom amounts in international bank accounts.

Seychelles along with Mauritius and Maldives finds in India a non-threatening stable ally in combating piracy and developing a maritime security arrangement.

Though Seychelles is 2,800 kilometers from the western coast of India, closer to Africa, yet it is more in sync with India sharing close military, cultural and social ties. By Smita Prakash (ANI)

Source:- Battling Piracy: India-Seychelles , AniNews.in

 

[Echo_419]

Maritime surveillance goes hi-tech
​

Indian Navy has set up a next-gen intelligence system to beef up its surveillance and patrolling duties​

At the click of a mouse, the Indian Navy will be able to track the movement of ships and fishing boats plying in the waters all along India’s 7,500-km-long coastline. It has set up a Command Centre in Gurgaon which will receive real-time radar feed and pictures taken by high-definition cameras, satellites and maritime surveillance aircraft. The footage will be exactly the same as captured by 46 coastal radar stations now operating in remote areas of the country.

Called the Information Management Analysis Centre (IMAC), the command post will enable the Indian Navy and other stakeholders in coastal security to take effective action in case a rogue ship or boat is detected.

This Rs.450-crore project, also known as National Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence Centre (NC3I), was launched soon after the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, when Pakistani terrorists managed to reach the city undetected due to gaps in coastal surveillance. The Command Centre, which is the nodal centre of the NC3I network, will go a long way in plugging these gaps through round-the-clock surveillance by radars, high-definition electro optic cameras and satellites, according to Admiral Kishan Pandey, assistant chief of naval staff communication, space and network centric operations.

An officer sitting at his console in the Gurgaon centre can access real time information on his computer screen about traffic of ships and boats in his designated zone, be it waters of Chennai or remote islands in Andaman & Nicobar. In the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks, at least 46 coastal radar stations at strategic locations in all the nine littoral states continuously monitor sea lanes. These stations in turn relay information to six core centres located in Gandhinagar (Gujarat), Mumbai, Chennai, Port Blair, Visakhapatnam and Kochi.

With the main centre at Gurgaon becoming functional, which is 80% indigenised, the officer will also get the information or visual data as seen by his counterparts manning the radar stations. All the stations, core centres and main command posts are connected with a high-tech computer network through especially-developed Coastal Surveillance and Decision Support software system designed and managed by the Navy.

The ‘Decision making or Decision support software’ as it is called has been bought from the US-based company Raytheon, but has been customised by the in-house naval IT software experts in developing their own algorithms. “It is hack-proof after being certified by Scientific Analyst Group under the wings of DRDO,” Pandey explained. The software has incorporated data about fishing boats and trawlers engaged in their trade in Indian waters through Automatic Identification System (AIS) chips. However, 30,000-odd small fishing boats are yet to be issued these chips as fishermen are demanding them free of cost. The state governments, through their respective fisheries departments, are likely to complete this process in the coming months.

There are more than 200,000 small and medium-size fishing boats and 60,000 to 70,000 boats venturing out into the sea to catch fish every day. The AIS covers boats weighing more than 300 tonnes or those that are 20 metres long. The Navy is urging the state governments to issue AIS to smaller boats to ensure that all boats out in the sea are identifiable.

Information about all merchant ships, be it Indian or foreign, passing through Indian waters or close by is also part of the software as it is now linked to the World Shipping Register. This will help the officer concerned to track the movement of the ships and take steps if any of them deviates from its path or is found sailing in a suspicious manner.

The Navy and Coast Guard, with the help of state governments, are going to install transponders in all private boats of Indian fishermen to locate their position in the sea. These transponders will be connected through the NC31.

The Navy will install 1,000 transponders in private boats of Gujarat fishermen as a pilot project. The installation of more transponders will depend on the success rate. The 350-km coastal area from Karwar to Bhatkal and Mangalore will be monitored closely due to vulnerabilities.

According to defence minister Manohar Parrikar, who had recently inaugurated the Gurgaon centre, “There is no radar station in these areas and hence in past some years, terror exports would take place from these regions especially in Bhatkal. Apart from that there is no such radar station from Ratnagiri to Goa. Even, Goa was becoming a smuggling centre some 30 years ago. These areas must come under the surveillance to minimise anti-national activities.”

The IMAC is envisaged to function as the nodal centre for collecting inputs from various static sensors and radars that were installed along the coast under the Coastal Surveillance Network (CSN) as well as from satellite imageries. Its tasks include analysing these inputs and disseminating them among concerned agencies to ensure a gapless surveillance of the entire coastline. The centre forms part of the National Command Control and Communication and Intelligence Network (NC3IN) which connects 20 naval and 31 coast guard stations along the coast that have been jointly developed by the Indian Navy, the Indian Coast Guard and Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL). The BEL has set up the coastal radars that are running on X and S band.

The IMAC at present has the ability to track marine vessels operating between the Malacca Strait and the Persian Gulf and can trigger off an alarm if any ship’s movement is deemed suspicious.

Source:- Maritime surveillance goes hi-tech | The Financial Express

Great news hope this will also be used to prevent smuggling

 

[kaykay]

A total 120 surveillance stations will be set up(46+ already operational) in Indian ocean. No doubt Indian navy is doing great.

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

India Developing Network of Coastal Radars

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inspects the Guard of Honour, at the Ceremonial Reception, in Seychelles on March 11.​

GABORONE, Botswana — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has activated the first of the Indian Navy's planned 32 coastal surveillance radar (CSR) stations in the Seychelles, marking the beginning of the rollout of an Indian-led maritime surveillance project set to have stations in the Seychelles, the Maldives, Mauritius and Sri Lanka.

Modi activated the radar system during his recent tour of the Seychelles as he visited key Indian Ocean region allies in a move some military strategists view as an effort to forge a strong alliance to counter aggressive expansion by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) in the region since October.

Addressing senior Indian Navy and Seychelles Coast Guard officers during the commissioning, Modi said India's plan includes setting up radar stations in the Seychelles, Mauritius and the Maldives. Negotiations to set up at least 10 more in Sri Lanka are ongoing.

He said the CSRs will improve the operational capabilities of the maritime security forces of partner nations and the overall security of the exclusive economic zones which make up the region's "blue economy."

"We regard Seychelles as a vital partner in our Indian Ocean neighborhood. Our relationship is unique and special. It is founded on a deep sense of mutual trust and confidence. Our security partnership is strong and has enabled us to fulfill our shared responsibility to advance maritime security in the region," he said.

"It is a privilege to be a partner of the Seychelles in the development of its security capabilities. We also hope that Seychelles will soon be a full partner in the maritime security cooperation between India, Maldives and Sri Lanka," Modi said.

Regional defense analysts say that once completed, the 32-station surveillance project will enable the Indian Navy, through its allies, to monitor the movements of all ships operating in the Indian Ocean.

Modi pledged to donate a second Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft to boost the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities of the Seychelles Coast Guard.

India donated the first Dornier (Do 228) aircraft and some naval vessels to the Seychelles in mid-2013. Seychelles President James Michel said the stations are proof of his country's exemplary defense and security relationship with India.

"Everybody recognizes India's footprints on many facets of our economic, social and cultural development. We have an exemplary partnership in the defense and security sectors.

"This is very much reflected in our fight against piracy and the joint patrolling of our oceans and also the training of our defense personnel. We are very encouraged by the willingness of the government and people of India to work with us in the context of the development of our blue economy,"

In addition to the newly commissioned CSR on the main island of Mahe, more will be installed on the smaller islands of Farqhuar, Astove and Assumption. All are expected to be commissioned into service between July and August.

In neighboring Mauritius, Modi signed an agreement to set up eight Indian-controlled CSR stations and pledged to continue strengthening the Mauritius Coast Guard with new aircraft, naval vessels and Indian training for its seamen.

The IOR surveillance project is widely seen as India's response to China's aggressive new operations in the region. In January, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense said it will step up the deployment of Navy vessels in the area to protect its security and economic interests while contributing to regional international anti-piracy operations.

The Indian move follows recent reports suggesting that China is pushing for the establishment of at least 18 deepwater ports with African and Asian littoral states to set up bases and maintenance yards for vessels.

Source:- India Developing Network of Coastal Radars

NEW GURGAON HI-TECH MARITIME SURVEILLANCE CENTRE WATCHES OVER NATION’S 7,000 KM COAST

The huge screen at the Information Management Analysis Centre (IMAC), Gurgaon that can display every vessel plying in the Indian water, along the country’s coastline​

by Ramnath N Pai Raikar

PANAJI: Maintaining strict vigilance on the 7,000-odd km long coastline of India would have normally required enormous manpower, ultra-modern vessels, sophisticated aircrafts and equipments like high-definition cameras, however, the modern technology has brought down the exercise at the level of the click of a mouse, allowing the Indian Navy to keep track of the movement of all vessels, including fishing boats and barges plying in Indian waters, from a nerve centre.

A visit by the Goan media persons to the Naval Command Centre – Information Management Analysis Centre (IMAC) – set up in Gurgaon on the outskirts of Delhi revealed the amazing ‘at the tip of the fingers’ mechanism, created to protect the country by way of advanced maritime surveillance, from the anti-national forces approaching the country through the surrounding waters.

Assistant Chief of Naval Staff Communication, Space and Network-centric Operations, Rear Admiral Kishan K Pandey told the Goan media persons that the IMAC, which was recently inaugurated by the Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is a joint initiative of the Indian Navy, Coast Guard and Bharat Electronics Ltd to improve coastal surveillance.

“In fact, the Centre was conceived to provide coastal security after the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai,” he added, pointing out that the project was cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council.

Supported by a dedicated satellite service and connectivity with huge bandwidth, the IMAC has a National Command Control Communication and Intelligence System (NC3I) network in place, which links all 51 monitoring stations of which 20 are Naval and 31 are Coast Guard, so as to generate a seamless real-time picture of the entire Indian coastline, and further track 30,000 to 40,000 ships on a daily basis. At present, the system comprises of 46 radars, while 30 additional radars are planned to fill all the gaps in the coastline security.

The 51 monitoring stations keep a watch on the movement of all vessels along the Indian coastline, and if any suspicious vessel starts proceeding towards the coastline, the system automatically generates ‘threat score’ for the movement of the vessel, initiating the authorities to take further action.

Speaking further, Rear Admiral Pandey said that there are around 2.50 lakh fishing boats in India, which do not have any real-time tracking system.

“A pilot project to track fishing vessels has presently been undertaken by the Coast Guard and 1,000 fishing boats from Gujarat have been fitted with transponders,” he informed, maintaining that a number of agencies such as the Ministry of Shipping, Ministry of Fisheries, Coast Guard and Indian Navy have to work in co-ordination for the same, besides the governments of those states located along the Indian coastline.

The Navy and Coast Guard, with the help of the respective state governments will very soon install transponders in all private boats of Indian fishermen to locate their position in the sea. These transponders will be connected through the NC3I system.

It was also informed that barges transporting mineral ore, having a displacement of more than 300 tonne must be compulsorily equipped with the Automatic Identification System (AIS). The Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) has sourced customized software from the US Company, Raytheon, which has added filters to identify threats from the vast number of ocean-going vessels by correlation and data fusion.

The IMAC also has an archive of stored data pertaining to details of various vessels that have travelled along the Indian coastline, in the recent past. This data can be retrieved and used whenever necessary. The IMAC at present has the ability to track marine vessels operating between the Malacca Strait and the Persian Gulf and can trigger off an alarm if any ship’s movement is deemed suspicious.

Meanwhile, Captain D K Sharma, the Indian Navy spokesperson informed that the Defence Ministry knew everything from the beginning about the mysterious vessel that caught fire off the coast of Gujarat on December 31, last year.

“We have got all related records but the information was given out to media only on required basis,” he said.

Source:- New Gurgaon hi-tech maritime surveillance centre watches over nation’s 7,000 km coast | The Navhind Times

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

Goa to Install Monitoring System to Track Terrorist Landings

Goa is considering installing a monitoring system which will track suspicious activities off shore including possible terrorist landings and under sea movements, a government report said.

The Goa State Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan which was released recently, spoke about installation of Vessel Traffic and Port Management System (VTPMS) which will monitor various activities including “terrorist landings and suspicious movements under sea.” “Goa is considering installing VTPMS which is mandatory for all seaports to enable safe navigation to monitor international vessels carrying hazardous cargo transiting its waters, terrorist landings and suspicious movements undersea,” said a report released by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

“The VTPMS is designed to improve security and navigational safety at sea and river ports. The system has been proposed by the Captain of Ports (Goa government’s department) and forwarded to the state government for consideration,” it said.

When installed, the VTMPS will advice, monitor shipping lanes and separation scheme to enforce compliance of safe navigational regulations, assistance to Indian Coast Guard and other authorities, detection of oil spill and improve overall port efficiency.

The report which has prescribed protocol for various agencies to act in case of oil spill said that Goa coast faces an increased threat from oil spill from passing ships, port activities, petro chemical exploration and exploitation activities, navigational accidents and others.

Source:- Goa to Install Monitoring System to Track Terrorist Landings | idrw.org

@Abhijeet Sarkar Thanks for the update!

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

Eight coastal radar stations in state integrated with Naval intel network

To counter possible threats from smugglers and terror outfits targeting the Gujarat coast, the Indian Navy has integrated eight coastal radar stations in the state under the National Command Control Communication Intelligence (NC3I) programme. The commissioning of the INS Sardar Patel naval base, with its advanced technology, will enhance the NC3I intelligence network.

The coastal radar stations are located at Porbandar, Dwarka, Mangrol, Gopnath, Diu, Daman, Navadra and the recent one was launched at Hazira. A total of 20 Naval radar stations and 31 Coast Guard radar stations across the country have so far been connected under NC3I. It can track more than 30,000 ships, even those plying in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea. There are 11 automatic identification systems (AIS) in Gujarat which have been recently brought under the programme. Automatic identification systems are sensor-based and transmit information to the eight radar stations. These 11 AIS are both on terrain and at sea.

Chief of Naval Staff R K Dhowan, who was attending the commissioning of the INS Sardar Patel, said, “There are eight coastal radar stations of the Navy in Gujarat which have now been brought under this programme. The commissioning of the new Navy base at Porbandar will bring faster intelligence collection, interception and dissemination, bringing in tight coastal security in the state”.

The Naval officials said that the NC3I programme was conceived after the 26/11 attack in Mumbai where a Porbandar-based fishing trawler, Kuber, was hijacked from the high seas by Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists. The officials added that the programme runs on an information system set up in Delhi, as its headquarters called the Information Analysis and Management System (IMAC) that is the nodal centre. According to Naval officers, the IMAC works on satellite and data circuit systems set up at Navy bases across the country. The information, collected from various radars and sensors, is sent to various radar stations though Satcom. The information collected from sensors is compared to assess threats to the coast.

The NC3I programme aids real time operation at sea through detection of targets, aerial surveillance and by making aerial attacks faster. The data collected from radars and AIS system is combined at IMAC. The most helpful feature of the system is to give voice commands, specially to the Coast Guard vessels that carry out operations close to the coast. The 43 ports of Gujarat that are in the high priority list for security by the Navy and Coast Guard would be monitored under this project. The programme has brought the coastal surveillance systems of the Navy and the Coast Guard under one project for better co-ordination.

The programme also covers the radars of the Coast Guard in Gujarat set up at their coastal stations in Okha, Porbandar, Pipavav, Hazira, to name a few. The radars of the Coast Guard that keep watch on the vessels close to the state coast through the AIS transponders will now be aiding NC3I systems while the Coast Guard can also keep track of them.

The Navy officials added that the recent operation, involving a suspicious boat carrying heroin worth Rs 600 crore, was successfully conducted due to timely intelligence gathering.

Source:- Eight coastal radar stations in state integrated with Naval intel network | idrw.org