Panaji:
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday commissioned Samudra Pratap, the Indian Coast Guard’s (ICG) first dedicated pollution control vessel, marking a major milestone in India’s maritime safety, environmental protection, and indigenous shipbuilding capabilities. The vessel is not only the first of its kind in the Coast Guard fleet but also the largest ship inducted into the force so far, underscoring India’s growing focus on safeguarding its vast maritime domain and marine ecology.

Commissioned in Panaji, Samudra Pratap has been indigenously designed and built with more than 60 per cent indigenous content, a figure the government aims to raise to nearly 90 per cent in future warships and specialised vessels. Built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), the 114.5-metre-long ship represents a significant leap in India’s ability to conceptualise, design, and construct complex, multi-role maritime platforms within the country.

Addressing the commissioning ceremony, Rajnath Singh said the induction of Samudra Pratap reflects the maturity of India’s defence industrial ecosystem and its capacity to handle technologically demanding manufacturing challenges. He emphasised that the vessel is a symbol of the country’s commitment to self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, particularly in the strategically vital maritime sector.

Singh articulated India’s broader maritime philosophy, stressing that oceans and marine resources cannot be viewed as the property of any single nation. “India’s grand maritime vision recognises that marine resources are not the property of any one country, but the collective inheritance of humanity,” he said. “And when the inheritance is collective, then protection also needs to be collective.”

He added that this outlook drives India’s proactive stance at the international level on issues of peace, stability, and environmental responsibility. At a time when the global maritime domain is witnessing increasing uncertainty due to geopolitical tensions, climate change, and non-traditional security threats, Singh said India has consistently demonstrated that its actions are not guided by narrow national interest alone but are aimed at ensuring security and stability across the wider Indo-Pacific region.

“When the world is moving towards global maritime uncertainty, India has repeatedly proven that this is not just about India’s interest, but about keeping the entire Indo-Pacific region secure,” the defence minister said.

Highlighting the evolving nature of maritime threats, Singh noted that the Indian Coast Guard now faces technology-driven, multidimensional, and rapidly changing challenges. These include environmental disasters, oil spills, illegal fishing, human trafficking, piracy, and search-and-rescue operations across a vast and often hostile maritime environment.

“In such a situation, the Indian Coast Guard cannot only be a reactionary force, but a proactive one,” Singh said, assuring the force of the government’s full support in strengthening its capabilities. He stressed that preparedness, technological sophistication, and flexibility are essential for maritime forces operating in the current global scenario.

While Samudra Pratap has been specially designed as a pollution control vessel, Singh made it clear that its role extends far beyond environmental response. He said the ship is a true multi-role platform, capable of undertaking a wide range of missions including search and rescue operations, coastal patrol, and ensuring maritime safety.

“I’ve been told that Samudra Pratap has been specially designed for pollution control. But its role will not be limited to this,” he said. “It will be equally capable in search and rescue, equally effective in coastal patrol and equally important in maritime safety. This means that on this one ship, on this platform, several capabilities have been integrated.”

According to Singh, this integration of multiple operational roles into a single platform reflects a modern and forward-looking approach to maritime security. “This modern approach is needed to address today’s maritime challenges. Here, flexibility and readiness are both equally important,” he added.

The Indian Coast Guard said the vessel represents a significant advancement in indigenous ship design and construction. Built by Goa Shipyard Limited, Samudra Pratap is equipped with advanced automation and computerised control systems, enabling efficient operations with reduced crew workload. The ship can achieve speeds exceeding 22 knots, allowing it to respond swiftly to maritime emergencies such as oil spills or distress calls.

The vessel’s pollution control capabilities are expected to significantly enhance India’s preparedness to deal with marine pollution incidents, including oil spills and chemical discharges, which pose serious threats to coastal ecosystems and livelihoods. With India’s long coastline and heavy maritime traffic, the need for specialised assets to respond to environmental disasters has become increasingly critical.

Rajnath Singh underlined the broader implications of marine pollution, describing it as one of the most serious challenges facing the world today. “In recent years, we have seen that marine pollution has shown up as a serious challenge,” he said. “When that happens, the livelihoods of fishermen, the future of coastal people, and the security of coming generations are all affected.”

He stressed that in an era marked by climate change and global warming, protecting the marine environment is no longer merely a strategic requirement but a moral responsibility. “Marine environment protection is not just a strategic necessity, but our moral responsibility,” the defence minister said, calling for sustained national and international efforts to preserve oceans and coastal ecosystems.

The commissioning of Samudra Pratap also reflects India’s increasing emphasis on non-traditional security roles, such as disaster response and environmental protection, alongside conventional maritime security. The Indian Coast Guard, which plays a critical role in safeguarding India’s maritime interests during peacetime, is expected to benefit significantly from the enhanced capabilities offered by the new vessel.

Officials said the induction of the ship strengthens the Coast Guard’s ability to respond effectively to pollution incidents while simultaneously performing its core duties of maritime law enforcement, safety, and humanitarian assistance. As maritime traffic continues to grow and environmental risks intensify, platforms like Samudra Pratap are expected to play a vital role in protecting India’s coastal and marine environment.

With the commissioning of its first pollution control vessel, the Indian Coast Guard has taken a significant step forward in aligning maritime security with environmental stewardship, reinforcing India’s vision of a secure, stable, and sustainable maritime domain for the region and beyond.