Maritime Domain Awareness and NMDA

Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) is the effective understanding of anything associated with the maritime domain that could impact the security, safety, economy or environment of the nation. Its rather a broad concept encompassing the following:

• awareness of the positions and intentions of all actors (whether friendly, hostile, or neutral) and in all dimensions (on, over, and under the seas).
• The global nature of MDA activities occurring overseas and in foreign ports is very much a part of MDA. For example, if a cargo is loaded in South Africa and its ultimate destination is India (via several other international ports), the loading, transport, security, and all matters associated with that container would be part of MDA.
• MDA must therefore be exercised over all oceans worldwide, and potentially cover all maritime interests that ultimately impact India.

Government of India’s Policy pertaining to MDA

In recent years, the country has significantly focused on improving its maritime domain awareness (MDA) in response to maritime security threats in coastal waters. Towards this, the current government is planning to establish a National Maritime Authority (NMA) to ensure cohesive policy-making and effective coordination on coastal security among the multiple authorities dealing with maritime issues in the country.

Related Issues and Analysis

Gaps in Maritime Security and Government Efforts

In 2001, a report on reforming the national security system had underlined the need for “an apex body for management of maritime affairs  among the Navy, Coast Guard and ministries of central and state governments”. Then, the 26/11 attack on Mumbai, which was launched by terrorists that entered India from water fronts exposed three critical gaps in Indian maritime security. These were:

• porous water front of Indian coastline
• Poor surveillance of maritime domain and
• lack of inter- agency coordination.

The government has taken several steps to tackle these security gaps. Of these, the main focus was on building NMDA grid to strengthen the water front and maintain high surveillance of maritime domain. Under NMDA (National Maritime Domain Awareness), the navy has set up National Command Control Communication Intelligence (NC3I) network that hosts the Information management and analysis center (IMAC).  It connects 41 radar station along the coast and island territories and helps collect, fuse and disseminate critical intelligence information. There are plans for additional coastal radar stations to cover gaps/shadow zones in 2nd phase. Currently they are added through deployment of ships and aircrafts. IMAC also receives info from multiple sources such as Automatic Identification System (AIS), satellites, high definition radars.

Factbox: AIS(Automatic Identification System)

AIS is a maritime communications device. It uses the Very High Frequency (VHF) radio broadcasting system to transfer data.  AIS equipped vessels and shore-based stations can send and receive identification information that can be displayed on an electronic chart, computer display or compatible navigation radar.  AIS improve navigation safety and environmental protection by assisting in the effective navigation of ships. The information provided by AIS can help in situational awareness and provide a means to assist in collision avoidance. In addition.  AIS can be used as an aid to navigation by providing location and additional information on buoys and lights.

AIS uses location data from GPS to broadcast a marine vehicle’s position and heading to anybody listening.  The location in a GPS system is computed via triangulation of signals received from multiple satellites.  The location in an AIS data stream is effectively self-reported. Its mandatory for all merchant ships above 300 tons DWT. There are 74 AIS receiver along Indian coast which has capability of tracking 30,000 to 40,000 ships through Indian Ocean.

Security concerns from small fishing boats

The small fishing boats also  poses security threat which makes NMDA complicated in fact the terrorists entered Mumbai through small fishing boats during 26/11 attack . To tackle this Indian authorities have taken number of steps including compulsary id-card for small fishing boat.

Other Efforts

The government has drawn plans to reinforce the NMDA via multilateral cooperation. It is in talks with at least 24 countries for exchanging information and enforcing NMDA. India has placed maritime security high on agenda through IORA (Indian ocean rim association), East Asia summit, ASEAN defence ministry meeting plus recent visit of PM Narendra Modi to Indian Ocean countries such as Maldives, Sychallas and Sri Lanka where maritime security was given top priority.