Bare borders: A.P. Coastal Security Police left adrift without boats or backing

Just days before the mysterious sinking of Pakistan’s submarine PNS Ghazi off Visakhapatnam coast during the India-Pakistan War of 1971, an unusual sighting by local fishermen hinted at secrets lurking beneath the sea — secrets that would soon shape a dramatic chapter in naval history.

In the early hours of December 5, 1971, fishermen heading out in their traditional boats spotted a massive black object, shaped like a pointed gourd, rising from the depths near the coast. Frightened and uncertain, they rushed back to shore and reported the strange sight to local authorities. This unexpected encounter became a vital intelligence clue for the Indian Navy, confirming that the elusive Ghazi was operating close to Visakhapatnam’s harbour.

But that was only the beginning. Soon after, villagers spotted tall, bearded men clad in lungi, speaking Hindi, buying large quantities of provisions, and paying in Indian rupees. Who were these mysterious visitors, and what was their true purpose?

Former Naval officers believe the fishermen’s first sighting was the submarine surfacing to recharge its batteries, while the second involved enemy crew members secretly restocking supplies ashore. Yet, beneath these accounts lay deeper stories, ones that revealed more than just wartime manoeuvres.

Both sightings provided crucial intelligence to the Eastern Naval Command, led by Vice-Admiral N. Krishnan, enabling a coordinated strike based on multiple inputs. While there are various accounts of Ghazi’s sinking, the official Indian version credits INS Rajput, an R-class destroyer, with sinking the submarine using depth charges.

Role of coastal security

Andhra Pradesh’s long, porous coastline makes it vulnerable, and the local fishermen community plays a vital role in providing key intelligence to safeguard the coast. Recognising this, securing the shoreline became a national priority.

After the 1999 Kargil War, a Union Government ministerial panel was tasked with revamping coastal security. Their solution: every coastal State should have a dedicated special force to patrol and protect its waters.

This led to the creation of a three-layered coastal security system. The first layer, from the shoreline up to 12 nautical miles, is managed by the Coastal Security Police (CSP). From 12 to 200 nautical miles — the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) — the Coast Guard takes charge, while beyond that, the Navy operates in international waters, explains Gopinath Jatti, DIG of A.P.’s CSP.

In 2005, Andhra Pradesh received its initial allotment: six coastal police stations and 18 fast interceptor crafts (five weighing 12 tonnes and 13 of five tonnes), funded by the Union Government.

With about 1,053 km of coastline stretching from Sriharikota in Nellore to HPCL in Visakhapatnam, the State hosts one major port, five non-major or private ports, 595 coastal villages, and 350 fish landing centers, all critical points needing protection.

In the second phase, Andhra Pradesh was sanctioned 15 additional coastal police stations, bringing the total to 21, strengthening the State’s ability to monitor and secure its vast coastline.

Defunct boats, declining security

After the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, CSP forces across States like Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Odisha received much-needed upgrades. However, Andhra Pradesh has fallen far behind despite its strategically vital installations.

All 18 CSP boats in the State have been non-operational since 2018, when the annual maintenance contract (AMC) with Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), the boat manufacturer, expired and was not renewed due to its steep cost of around ₹12 crore per year.

The sanctioned strength of the CSP is about 1,500 personnel but only just over 500 are currently active. Many coastal police stations are in poor condition, suffering from a lack of proper maintenance and support.

A major issue is that the five non-major ports in Andhra Pradesh are privately owned and secured by private agencies, leaving the CSP without any control or accountability. Only the Visakhapatnam Port is secured by the CISF, a Central paramilitary force.

The State has about 29 islands, three of which are inhabited, but none have jetties for CSP personnel to effectively patrol or man them.

Although the Union government has sanctioned ₹3 crore to build seven jetties, CSP officials say this funding is insufficient. Fresh proposals have been submitted to the Centre requesting increased support.

Initiatives taken

Despite numerous challenges, the CSP is striving to fulfil its mandate effectively. Speaking to The Hindu, Mr.Jatti said that with the CSP boats currently non-functional, they have stepped up joint patrolling efforts with the Indian Navy and Coast Guard. “We take up two days of patrolling on naval ships and daily with the Coast Guards. This in one way also betters our seafaring skills,” he said.

Another initiative is the adoption of fishing villages — each constable is assigned at least one village, allowing CSP to cover all 595 fishing communities. Explaining this approach, Mr. Jatti said, “Our main idea is to get close to the community. We have seen in the past that the fishing community plays a vital role in information sharing. Moreover, this also helps us in organising community outreach programmes.”

To bolster intelligence-gathering, Mr. Jatti has also launched a Coastal Intelligence Unit, headed by a DSP and staffed with 40 personnel, including inspectors. Its primary role is collecting intelligence from all coastal stakeholders — fishing communities, village inhabitants, trawler pilots and traditional fishermen.

“Post 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the relevance of gathering intelligence inputs from various stakeholders, was recognised and well understood. This unit gathers information not only from the fishing community, but from all inhabitants of the coastal villages, trawler pilots and staff and traditional fishermen. Anything unusual is looked into and logged and shared with other intelligence agencies. This enables us to engage in continuous monitoring and fill lacunae. Moreover, to make people accessible to us, we have launched a toll free number 1093, to enable people to inform us about any happenings, including drowning and missing-at-sea complaints,” he said.

Pending proposals

A host of crucial proposals is currently awaiting clearance from the State government, that could revive and significantly strengthen the CSP.

At the top of the list is the renewal of the annual maintenance contract (AMC) for the 18 Fast Interceptor Crafts (FICs) built by GRSE. Without this renewal, the already grounded fleet risks becoming completely defunct. Once operational, these FICs, designed for high-speed interception, search-and-rescue missions and anti-smuggling operations, would restore critical muscle to the CSP. So far, the force has cracked 42 cases involving illegal migrants, but their reach is currently limited without boats.

To bridge the gap, CSP has proposed hiring 20 private boats for patrolling as an interim solution that would cost the State around ₹6 crore annually.

Another proposal seeks to bring technology into play. CSP has requested funding to purchase 27 high-end surveillance drones, with an estimated price tag of ₹25 crore. These drones are expected to have a range of at least 5 km to suit maritime needs. “Even if high-end drones aren’t sanctioned, we have also included a lower-cost option — mid-range drones for ₹10 crore,” said a senior CSP official.

To enhance beach patrolling, the force has also sought a few all-terrain vehicles. “So far, our personnel have saved nearly 95 lives from drowning,” said Mr.Jatti.

Yet, the challenges aren’t just technological or logistical. Though CSP is a fully recognised wing of the police, its legal powers are limited; it can currently operate under just 18 Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. A proposal has been submitted to expand this to at least 50 Sections, enabling officers to act more decisively.

Some progress has been made. “Colour coding of fishing boats is done, and the installation of transponders is under way,” said Mr. Jatti. “The Centre has sanctioned 3 lakh transponders. We have received 1 lakh, and about 60% have already been installed.”

To tighten tracking, work is also under way to set up a centralised information centre. “We need to know when each fishing boat leaves, who is aboard and when they return. This isn’t just surveillance; it is about closing loopholes that traffickers or infiltrators might exploit,” Mr. Jatti explained.

But until the pending proposals get the green light, these plans remain aspirations. For a force that guards over 1,000 km of coastline, time is ticking and the system must catch up before vulnerabilities are exploited.