- Three-week intensive course strengthens India’s coastal and maritime security preparedness
- Senior Indian Coast Guard officers trained in law, strategy and ocean awareness
- RRU–ICG collaboration deepens operational readiness amid evolving maritime threats
- Programme blends classroom learning with simulations, field training and legal exercises
- Graduation reinforces shared vision of robust maritime security aligned with Viksit Bharat
NE EDUCATION BUREAU
GANDHINAGAR, JAN 31
The School of Integrated Coastal and Maritime Security Studies (SICMSS) at Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) has successfully concluded a three-week Advanced Training Programme on Integrated Coastal and Maritime Security and Ocean Awareness, with the participation of ten senior officers from the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
The programme was designed to enhance strategic, legal, and operational preparedness in the face of rapidly evolving maritime challenges and emerging security dynamics across India’s coastal and oceanic domains.
The inaugural ceremony was graced by Inspector General T. Sashi Kumar, TM, Commander, Coast Guard Region (North-West), and Prof. (Dr.) Bimal N. Patel, Vice Chancellor, RRU, and Member of the United Nations International Law Commission.
Reflecting on the growing synergy between RRU and the Indian Coast Guard, Prof. Patel said that such joint initiatives aim to strengthen the operational preparedness of Coast Guard officers by deepening their understanding of the ocean as a strategic terrain, evolving international legal and regulatory frameworks, and fluid geopolitical relationships. He drew attention to emerging challenges such as uncrewed maritime systems, sea-level rise, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and maritime terrorism, emphasising the need for informed legal and operational preparedness. He noted that these collaborative efforts reflect a shared vision of making India’s coastal and maritime security robust and impregnable in line with the goal of Viksit Bharat.
Addressing the gathering, Inspector General Sashi Kumar recalled the significance of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Indian Coast Guard and RRU in 2025.
He observed that positive feedback from officers who attended earlier courses has further strengthened this partnership and thanked RRU for providing a conducive and enriching learning environment. Referring to the commissioning of Samudra Pratap, the first indigenously designed and built pollution control vessel and one of the largest ships in the ICG fleet, he urged the trainee officers to continually reinvent themselves to remain future-ready, in line with the evolving role of the Indian Coast Guard as a force.
The valedictory session, during which certificates were conferred upon the successful trainees, was attended by Prof. Kalpesh Wandra, Pro Vice Chancellor, RRU, and DIG Prashant Sharma, TM (ICG), Chief of Staff, RHQ (NW).
Congratulating the graduating officers, Prof. Wandra remarked that all officers now become part of the RRU alumni network and highlighted how this institutional relationship would continue to grow in the future.
DIG Prashant Sharma appreciated the officers for their commitment and commended RRU for hosting the programme. He expressed his gratitude to the former Director General of the Indian Coast Guard, Dr. Prabhakaran Paleri, Lifetime Professor at RRU, for being “a lighthouse of knowledge”, and to ADG Anil Kumar Harbola (Retd), Director (Projects), RRU, for curating a comprehensive capacity-building course tailored to the operational needs of the Indian Coast Guard.
In his valedictory remarks, Ankur Sharma, Director (I/c), SICMSS, expressed gratitude to all dignitaries who graced the inaugural and concluding sessions. He highlighted the academic rigour of the programme, which went beyond classroom instruction to include hands-on field training, a moot court exercise, the Mahasagar navigation simulator, and a visit to the Statue of Unity, describing it as “a teerth for all who protect and defend the nation”.
He also acknowledged the contributions of experts from across RRU, including the defence, cyber security, and behavioural sciences schools, whose interdisciplinary engagement ensured the programme’s success.
Jagrati Saraswat, Junior Research Officer, delivered the vote of thanks, expressing sincere appreciation to the leadership of RRU and the Indian Coast Guard for their continued support. She also acknowledged the efforts of the organising team led by Tanisha Ranjan, Assistant Professor, SICMSS, and others for making the programme an intellectually enriching and impactful learning experience.
