Even as India observed the sixth anniversary of the 26/11 terrorist attack on Mumbai, a lot of gaping holes still need to be plugged in its security preparedness, despite progress made on certain fronts. Joint Operations Centres set up by the navy as command and control hubs for coastal security at Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Kochi and Port Blair are fully operational.

These JOCs are manned 24×7 jointly by the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and Marine Police. In terms of technology, 74 automatic identification receivers and a chain of overlapping 46 coastal radars ensure near gapless cover along the entire coast. The newly inaugurated National Command Control Communication and Intelligence Network collates data about all ships, dhows, fishing boats and other vessels operating near the coast. Besides, a majority of our fishermen have been issued identity cards and over two lakh fishing vessels operating off the country’s coast have been registered.

Despite all these measures, the country remains vulnerable to similar plans – hijacking an Indian vessel and landing stealthily on Indian shores under cover of darkness. It is hard to envisage that every Indian vessel will be intercepted by our modern radars and a vigilant maritime force.

If such a plan is brought to fruition by terrorists, it becomes critical that the response on land is swift and adequate. This is where the country seems to be wanting.

The police reforms proposed in 2006 continue to gather dust in various State government offices and little modernisation of the force has taken place in Mumbai. Even the number of policemen per lakh persons in the country continues to remain at an abysmal 138, much less than the 220 recommended by the UN during peacetime. Also, steps as simple as installing cameras across key city junctions have been delayed beyond reasonable time limits.

The city’s teeming populace can only hope it is not targeted again.

Satyanarayan Iyer, Senior Reporter

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