Coastal security has become ‘immediate agenda’ of Govt., says Antony
January 4th, 2011 - 8:15 pm ICT by ANIChaliyam, Jan 4 (ANI): Defence Minister A K Antony on Tuesday said coastal security has become the ‘immediate agenda’ of the government in the light of the pirate attacks on ships following which patrolling has been intensified along vulnerable areas by the Navy and Coast Guard.
“In earlier days, we considered our coastal region more secure. But that is history. Fourteen ships have been attacked by pirates off Lakshadweep. Such attacks will affect the peace and security of the nation. Coastal security has now become the immediate agenda of the government,” said Antony after laying the foundation stone of the National Institute for Research and Development in Defence Shipbuilding (NIRDESH) here.
Antony said NIRDESH will be the fifth defence project in Kerala.
“Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has already started a unit in Kasargod, Bharath Earth Movers Limited has one in Palakkad. Bharat Electronics Limited has a factory at Kochi and there is a Brahmos unit at Thiruvananthapuram,” he said.
Further asking the political leaders to overlook party affiliations on the question of Kerala’s development, Antony said: “There should be total unity between the ruling and opposition parties in the matter of development of the state.”
A part of the Department of Defence Production, NIRDESH, will be funded by the Ministry of Defence and all the Defence Shipyards in the country.
The Defence Minister will head the Board of Governors as the President, with representations from the Ministry of Defence, Indian Navy, Coast Guard and Chairmen of Defence Shipyards.
Gyanesh Kumar, Joint Secretary (Naval Systems) in the Ministry of Defence has been concurrently appointed as the Director General of NIRDESH. (ANI)
- Government fast pacing indigenisation of military hardware: Antony (Lead) - Jan 04, 2011
- Antony lays foundation stone of warship facility in Kerala - Jan 04, 2011
- Antony to lay foundation stone of warship facility in Kerala - Jan 01, 2011
- Antony to lay foundation stone of India's first defence ship building institute - Jan 02, 2011
- 26/11-terror attack brought sea change in coastal security approach: Antony - Dec 22, 2010
- No hot pursuit of Somali pirates: India - Sep 26, 2011
- Coast Guard to be largest water protection force by 2018 - Sep 27, 2011
- India to base anti-piracy patrol plane in Maldives - Oct 18, 2011
- Security at sea will be beefed up: Antony - Feb 26, 2012
- Defence Minister Antony wants high priority for coastal security - May 20, 2010
- ICGS Rajtarang commissioned in Chennai - May 19, 2012
- Outrage as two Indians die in Italian ship firing (Roundup) - Feb 16, 2012
- Warship building in India gets boost through public-private effort - Mar 04, 2012
- Goa Shipyard posts Rs.176 crore profit - Aug 24, 2011
- Indian Navy plans base in Lakshadweep - Jan 23, 2011
Tags: bharat electronics limited, board of governors, coastal region, defence minister, defence production, defence project, department of defence, earth movers, foundation stone, hindustan aeronautics ltd, indian navy, kochi, laying the foundation, ministry of defence, opposition parties, party affiliations, pirate attacks, shipyards, thiruvananthapuram, vulnerable areas