About the Division

India’s maritime geography is fundamental to its national security, economic prosperity and strategic influence. With an extensive coastline, island territories, major and minor ports, busy international shipping routes, offshore energy infrastructure, fishing communities and a vast Exclusive Economic Zone, the security and governance of India’s maritime domain increasingly intersect with questions of internal security, economic security, border management, organised crime, critical infrastructure protection and national resilience.

Recognising this growing convergence, the Centre for Internal Security Analysis (CISA) has established a dedicated Maritime & Coastal Affairs Division to undertake research, policy analysis, institutional engagement and knowledge-building on issues affecting India’s coastal and maritime security environment.

The Division approaches maritime and coastal affairs not merely from the perspective of conventional naval security, but as a multidimensional field involving security, governance, law enforcement, technology, trade, infrastructure, coastal communities, transnational crime, environmental risks and strategic affairs.

Through this Division, CISA seeks to contribute to a better understanding of emerging vulnerabilities across India’s coastal and maritime domain and to develop practical policy recommendations that strengthen coordination between government institutions, security agencies, academia, industry, coastal communities and other stakeholders.

The Role of the Maritime and Coastal Affairs Division
of Centre for Internal Security Analysis

The Coastal and Maritime Affairs Division is intended to complement India’s existing operational coastal and maritime security architecture through independent research, policy development, strategic dialogue, training, documentation and institutional collaboration. CISA through this division will serve as a platform through which operational experience, academic research, technological innovation and policy analysis can be brought together to address emerging coastal and maritime security challenges.

The Division will examine security challenges across the complete continuum extending from coastal communities and shore-based infrastructure to territorial waters, ports, islands, the Exclusive Economic Zone and the wider maritime domain.

Particular emphasis will be placed on understanding the connections between developments at sea and their consequences for internal security on land.

The Maritime and Coastal Affairs Division will undertake research and policy work across a broad spectrum of issues, including Coastal Security and Surveillance, Maritime Terrorism and Infiltration, Smuggling and Transnational Organised Crime, Port and Critical Infrastructure Security, Maritime Domain Awareness, Fishermen and Coastal Communities, Island and Littoral Security, Maritime Borders, Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, Blue Economy and Economic Security, Maritime Cybersecurity, Emerging Technologies, Disaster and Climate Resilience, Maritime Law and Governance.

Purpose of the Division

The purpose of the Maritime and Coastal Affairs Division is to:

1. Collect, collate and develop knowledge resources and databases relating to coastal and maritime security incidents, threats, infrastructure, policies, institutional arrangements and emerging trends for empirical research and analysis.

2. Undertake strategic and policy research on coastal security, maritime security, maritime law enforcement, transnational crime, maritime terrorism, ports, island security and associated national-security challenges.

3. Develop policy recommendations and frameworks that can contribute to stronger coastal surveillance, maritime domain awareness, inter-agency coordination, intelligence sharing, community participation and institutional preparedness.

4. Build institutional networks and partnerships with the Indian maritime and security community, including government institutions, armed forces, law-enforcement agencies, coastal administrations, universities, research institutions, maritime industry, technology organisations and international experts.

5. Create platforms for strategic dialogue by organising conferences, roundtables, workshops, consultations, lectures and specialised dialogues bringing together policymakers, security practitioners, academics, industry specialists and coastal stakeholders.

6. Promote education, training and awareness on maritime and coastal security among security professionals, researchers, students, government institutions and relevant stakeholder communities.

7. Study global best practices in coastal security, maritime domain awareness, port protection, maritime policing, technology adoption and inter-agency coordination and examine their applicability to the Indian context.

8. Encourage technology-driven maritime security research, particularly in artificial intelligence, geospatial intelligence, remote sensing, satellite monitoring, unmanned systems, sensor fusion and maritime data analytics.

Research and Policy Approach

The Division will follow a multidisciplinary approach, recognising that maritime and coastal security cannot be examined exclusively through a military lens. Research will draw upon fields including national security, policing, international relations, maritime law, economics, technology, logistics, geography, environmental studies, disaster management and public policy.

The Division will seek to combine field-level realities with strategic analysis, ensuring that research incorporates perspectives from coastal police personnel, fishermen and coastal communities, port authorities, maritime industry, defence and security practitioners, researchers and policymakers.

Where appropriate, CISA will also encourage comparative research drawing lessons from maritime security architectures and coastal-management practices adopted by other countries and regional organisations.