The Indian Coast Guard (ICG), together with the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) Information Sharing Centre (ISC) is hosting the 12th Capacity Building Workshop. The event is taking place in New Delhi from 19th to 20th June, 2019.
About ReCAAP
The ReCAAP is the pioneer regional Government-to-Government accord targeting piracy and armed robbery at sea in Asia. Its establishment was marked in November 2006 with 14 Asian contracting parties spanning North, Southeast, and South Asian countries. Presently, the ReCAAP has 20 contracting parties including countries from Europe like Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, and the UK; as well as the US and Australia. The agreement’s collaboration is founded on three main pillars: information sharing, capacity building, and mutual legal assistance. The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC) was launched in Singapore in November 2006. Within India, the ICG has been appointed as the focal point for ReCAAP.
The Capacity Building Workshop
Organized annually by the ISC and co-hosted by one of the contracting parties, the main goal of the capacity building workshop is to disseminate updates regarding piracy and robbery against ships in Asia and share best practices. Participants also gain a deep understanding of related issues such as international laws, prosecution processes, forensics, and emerging threats. India had previously hosted the workshop in Goa in November 2011 and in New Delhi in December 2017.
| Workshop | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Indian Workshop | Goa | November 2011 |
| 2nd Indian Workshop | New Delhi | December 2017 |
| 3rd Indian Workshop | New Delhi | June 2019 |
About the Indian Coast Guard (ICG)
The ICG was officially inaugurated on 19th August 1978, operating under the Ministry of Defence. It possesses a wide range of capabilities for surface and air operations. The organization is overseen by the Director General Indian Coast Guard (DGICG), who commands from the Coast Guard Headquarters (CGHQ) located in New Delhi. The Coast Guard’s duties include ensuring safety and protection of artificial islands, offshore terminals, installations; providing assistance to fishermen in distress at sea; preserving maritime environment including pollution control; assisting Customs in anti-smuggling operations; enforcing the Maritime Zones of India Act; and implementing safety measures for life and property at sea and gathering scientific data. To ensure effective command, the Maritime Zones of India are divided into five Coast Guard Regions: North-West, West, East, North-East, and Andaman & Nicobar, with respective Regional Headquarters in Gandhinagar, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Port Blair.