Coastal and seaward security subjects should be incorporated in school and college curriculums, says Commodore G. Prakash, director of the Maritime Warfare Centre at the Southern Naval Command, India.
The top naval official said that the security of the seas surrounding India has financial, diplomatic and geopolitical ramifications. Citizens must be made aware of the significance of maritime security and its link to the growth of the country and its ties with nations across the seas.
The country was developing better allied infrastructure for improving the coastal security and surveillance system, he said.
"Securing seas and oceans is of prime importance for the country as any strife on the waters will have direct implication on the economy of the country," Prakash said.
The maritime security agencies need to work in tandem with scientific research and development organizations in order to guard the seas and the vital assets dotting the country’s coastline, said S. Anantha Narayanan, director of the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL).