Exercise Sea Vigil-24 to Test Coastal Defence Preparedness

Table of Contents

Exercise Sea Vigil

Exercise Sea Vigil is a biennial, national-level coastal defence exercise conducted by the Indian Navy. It involves all maritime stakeholders, including the Indian Coast Guard, state governments, Union territories, and other agencies.

Objectives

Enhance coastal and maritime security.
Test the efficacy of existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and protocols.
Strengthen coordination among various stakeholders involved in maritime security.
Address potential vulnerabilities in India’s 11,098-km coastline and 2.4 million sq km of exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
First Edition: Initiated in 2018 as a response to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, highlighting the importance of maritime security.
Fourth Edition:
- Conducted in 2024, covering all coastal states and union territories.
- Focused on evaluating India’s preparedness against maritime threats, including asymmetric and hybrid warfare challenges.

Similar Maritime Exercises

Exercise	Conducted By	Participants	Objective/Significance
Sea Vigil	Indian Navy	All coastal states and agencies	Comprehensive coastal defence and maritime security.
Tropex	Indian Navy	Tri-services exercise	Theatre-level combat readiness involving naval, air, and land forces.
SLINEX	India & Sri Lanka	Navies of India and Sri Lanka	Enhancing interoperability and mutual cooperation between the two navies.
Varuna	India & France	Indian and French Navies	Strengthening Indo-French maritime cooperation.
Milan	Indian Navy	Multinational naval exercise	Foster maritime cooperation and showcase India’s capabilities as a regional maritime security provider.
Malabar	India, USA, Japan, Australia	Quad countries	High-end naval exercises focusing on interoperability, ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare), and strategic cooperation.
Indo-Pacific Endeavour	Australia	India and regional countries	Promote peace, security, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
SIMBEX	India & Singapore	Navies of India and Singapore	Enhancing mutual understanding and interoperability.
Kakadu	Australia	Multinational exercise	Encourage regional cooperation and enhance maritime partnerships.
Paschim Lehar	Indian Navy	Western Naval Command	Validate operational plans and combat readiness on India’s western seaboard.

Importance of Maritime Exercises

Security Enhancement: Secures India’s extensive maritime boundaries from piracy, trafficking, and external threats.
Interoperability: Improves coordination with global navies.
Disaster Response: Prepares for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
Strategic Significance: Strengthens India’s position in the Indo-Pacific region as a maritime power.