Coast Guard Rallies Maritime Industry to Strengthen Indigenous Fleet Support Ecosystem

New Delhi, October 8: In a significant stride toward modernizing its fleet support structure and reducing reliance on foreign systems, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Wednesday convened a “Collaborative Fleet Support” conference at its headquarters in New Delhi, bringing together India’s leading shipbuilders and maritime technology firms under one roof.

The high-level meeting, chaired by Inspector General Sudhir Sahni, TM, Deputy Director General (Materiel and Maintenance), aimed at forging a unified, indigenous, and agile ecosystem for maintenance, refit, and logistics support of the Coast Guard’s expanding fleet. The initiative marks a strategic step toward ensuring that logistics efficiency and technical readiness keep pace with the growing operational demands of the maritime domain.

An official spokesperson said the conference witnessed participation from an impressive cross-section of the Indian maritime industry, including both public-sector shipyards and private Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). Key attendees included Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDSL), Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Hindustan Shipyard Ltd. (HSL), Cochin Shipyard Ltd. (CSL), and private partners such as Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Chowgule Shiprepair, SWAN, Sea Blue, Ocean Blue, and Sadhav.

Also represented were several leading OEMs that form the technical backbone of India’s shipboard systems—among them Elecon, ZF, MJP, Kongsberg, GMMCO, MTU, and KOEL—underscoring the Coast Guard’s commitment to strengthening engagement across the entire maritime supply chain.

In his keynote address, Inspector General Sudhir Sahni emphasized that operational availability is now a strategic necessity rather than a mere technical requirement, highlighting the need for swift access to skilled manpower, critical spare parts, and responsive service networks. He called upon foreign OEMs to localize their operations and enhance indigenous manufacturing, noting that self-reliance in fleet support is no longer optional but imperative.

The deliberations at the conference focused on three primary themes including  Enhancing indigenous content in critical systems under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative; Improving product support to minimize vessel downtime; andStreamlining supply chains to ensure seamless alignment with the Coast Guard’s expanding operational footprint.

Participants unanimously agreed on the need for continued collaboration, shared responsibility, and sustained innovation in building a resilient and future-ready maritime logistics framework. The conference concluded on a strong note of consensus, with industry stakeholders and the Coast Guard pledging to work together in creating a robust, self-sufficient, and technologically advanced fleet support system capable of meeting India’s evolving maritime security challenges.

Spokesperson said the initiative signals a pivotal step in the Indian Coast Guard’s ongoing transformation—anchored in the vision of an Atmanirbhar and agile maritime force, prepared to safeguard the nation’s interests across its vast oceanic frontiers.