BharatNotes What is Coastal Security (Sagar Prahari Bal)?
Sagar Prahari Bal (SPB) — literally "Ocean Sentinel Force" — is a dedicated force of the Indian Navy, raised in 2009 in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks (26 November 2008). Its core mandate is the close-in protection of naval bases, dockyards, harbours and the immediate coastal waters around them, together with patrolling and search-and-rescue support. It is manned by Navy personnel and operates Fast Interception Craft (FICs) for rapid response against seaborne threats. SPB is a single component of India's wider, multi-layered coastal security system rather than the whole of it.
Why It Was Created — The 26/11 Trigger
The 2008 attackers reached Mumbai undetected by sea, revealing that no single agency owned coastal defence. The government's response reorganised responsibilities:
- The Indian Navy was designated the authority with overall responsibility for maritime security, including coastal and offshore security.
- The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) was additionally designated (February 2009) as the authority responsible for coastal security in territorial waters, including patrolling by coastal police.
- Sagar Prahari Bal was raised to give the Navy a force specifically for guarding its own vulnerable assets, freeing frontline units for sea control.
Three-Tier Coastal Security Architecture
India's seaward defence is conventionally described as a layered model based on distance from the coast:
| Tier | Agency | Approximate jurisdiction |
|---|---|---|
| Inner | State/UT Marine Police | Up to 12 nautical miles (territorial waters) |
| Middle | Indian Coast Guard | 12-200 nm (the Exclusive Economic Zone) |
| Outer | Indian Navy | Beyond 200 nm / overall maritime security |
Supporting this are the Coastal Surveillance Network (CSN) of static radar, AIS and day/night sensor stations run by the ICG, joint operations centres, and community programmes that build human intelligence among fishermen.
Coordination and Current Status
To fix the coordination gap, the National Committee for Strengthening Maritime and Coastal Security (NCSMCS), chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, was set up in 2009 as the apex coordination body. This was reinforced when Vice Admiral G. Ashok Kumar (Retd) was appointed India's first National Maritime Security Coordinator (NMSC) on 16 February 2022, working under the National Security Council Secretariat to harmonise the Navy, Coast Guard, state agencies and coastal states/UTs.
On SPB itself, open sources vary: the force is reported at roughly 1,000-2,000 personnel equipped with around 80 fast interception craft, with figures differing between sources (see uncertainty note). Persistent challenges include India's long ~7,500 km coastline, manpower and craft shortfalls, fragmented inter-agency command, and the slow induction of boats and equipment.
UPSC Angle
SPB is best remembered as the Navy's post-26/11 harbour-defence force — a frequent point of confusion with the Coast Guard and Marine Police. In Mains, use it to illustrate both the institutional learning after 26/11 and the unfinished reform agenda in maritime security. Cross-link with current affairs on the NMSC, Coastal Surveillance Network and joint coastal-security exercises (Sea Vigil) for a contemporary edge.
