Officers from maritime agencies of friendly foreign nations who have arrived in India for specialized training pose for a photo with Indian Coast Guard officers. (India Sentinels photo via special arrangement.)
New Delhi: Fifty-two officers and sailors from friendly foreign countries have arrived in India for specialized maritime training being conducted by the Indian Coast Guard. The training is part of an initiative for partner nations called “Capacity Building Through Meaningful Training”.
The Coast Guard will run two professional courses under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme, starting from Monday. The courses have been modelled according to best international practices and International Maritime Organization regulations.
The first is a three-week Maritime Law and Operations Course that will take place from March 11 to March 28 at the Coast Guard Training Centre in Kochi. Thirty-two trainees from 11 countries will cover a range of topics, such as international maritime law, ocean resource management, search and rescue, pollution response, and maritime security procedures.
The second is a two-week Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation Course that will run from March 11 to March 22 in Chennai, which will be conducted by the Coast Guard’s pollution response team. Twenty officers from six nations will receive hands-on training validated by the International Maritime Organization.
Both courses will feature classroom instruction from subject experts as well as practical demonstrations aboard Coast Guard ships.
A Coast Guard spokesperson said the training aims to strengthen maritime cooperation and consensus among regional partners in addressing contemporary challenges at sea, in line with India’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
Over the past three years, the Coast Guard has trained 190 officers and 257 sailors from the maritime agencies of friendly foreign countries under this programme.
