The Department of Political Science of Mangalore University and the Institute of Contemporary Studies, Bengaluru, will conduct a two-day conference on ‘Coastal security: Challenges and concerns’ at Mangalore University from April 20.
A press release said here that coastal security had become critically important since the 26/11 terror strike in Mumbai in 2008, and the government has been doing its best to tighten the security cover.
India has a sizeable coastal belt and in many places the coastal areas are porous. Despite the best attempts of security forces, complaints of the system not being leak-proof are raised in many quarters.
The marine routes to and from India, its exclusive economic zone, the external power presence in the area, the piracy issues and maritime disputes are some of the areas of concern to India and the developments in these have a bearing on the country’s interests, it said. Experts and representatives from the police services, Indian Navy, Coast Guard, shipping and ship-building industry, space research, electronics, ports and academia will exchange ideas that would also serve as an input for policy formulation for coastal security management, the release said.
Bhaskar Rao, Additional Director General of Police, Karnataka State Reserve Police, and J Arun Chakravarthy, Inspector General of Police, Western Range, Mangaluru, will inaugurate the conference.