Indian Coast Guard
Mandate, Powers, and Jurisdiction
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) was established by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 and operates under the Ministry of Defence. Its jurisdiction extends over India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) — 200 nautical miles from the baseline — and the contiguous zone (24 nautical miles). The ICG enforces fisheries laws, prevents smuggling, conducts search and rescue, and maintains maritime law in areas where the Indian Navy does not operate.
- India's EEZ covers approximately 2.37 million square kilometres — one of the largest in the Indian Ocean Region.
- Under UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982), a coastal state has sovereign rights over the EEZ for resource exploitation and jurisdiction over customs, fiscal, immigration, and sanitation laws in the contiguous zone.
- Beyond 200 nautical miles (high seas), universal jurisdiction applies for piracy under UNCLOS Article 105.
- The interception at ~100 nautical miles west of Mumbai was clearly within India's EEZ, giving ICG full legal authority to board and seize.
- The ICG coordinates with the Navy, Customs, DRI (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence), and MEA for cross-agency maritime security operations.
● Tracked since February 17, 2026 · last seen April 10, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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