[Answered] Why is maritime security vital to protect India’s sea trade? Discuss maritime and coastal security challenging the global rules-based maritime order in present times.

Introduction

India’s sea trade carries 95% volume & 70% value (Economic Survey 2025-26); 85% oil imports transit IOR. Budget 2026-27 allocates ₹5,165 cr to ports & ₹7.85 lakh cr to defence. NITI Aayog Blue Economy report flags IUU & kinetic threats. Post-IRIS Dena sinking in Indian ocean makes it an ocean of great gamble.

Why Maritime Security is Indispensable

1. Backbone of India’s External Trade: Over 95% of India’s trade by volume and 70% by value moves through sea routes, sustaining $825 bn exports (FY25) and $1-trillion digital/blue economy goals. Key ports such as Jawaharlal Nehru Port and Visakhapatnam Port serve as critical trade gateways. Any disruption in shipping lanes can significantly impact exports, imports and supply chains. For Example- Sagarmala & PM Gati Shakti target doubling port capacity; any breach costs billions in insurance, delays and lost FDI.
2. Energy Security Imperatives: India imports nearly 80–85% of its crude oil, Energy security hinges on secure SLOCs: disruption in Strait of Hormuz/Bab-el-Mandeb spikes inflation and fiscal deficit.
3. Strategic Geography of the Indian Ocean: India’s peninsular geography places it at the centre of the Indian Ocean sea lanes connecting Europe, Africa and East Asia. This geographic advantage enables India to act as a net security provider in the region through naval deployments and humanitarian assistance operations.
4. Protection of Maritime Infrastructure: India’s expanding maritime economy, ports, offshore energy assets and submarine communication cables, requires robust protection from threats such as sabotage, cyber attacks and terrorism.

Maritime and Coastal Security Challenges in the Contemporary Era

1. Escalating Naval Conflicts and Geopolitical Rivalry: US submarine sinking of Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in Sri Lanka’s EEZ, widened US-Israel-Iran war into India’s neighbourhood exposing absence of war-zone restrictions in high seas demonstrate how maritime spaces are becoming theatres for great-power competition.
2. Threats to the Rules-Based Maritime Order: Unilateral military actions and power politics risk undermining United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the principles of freedom of navigation.
3. Non-Traditional Maritime Threats: Maritime security threats increasingly include: Piracy and maritime terrorism, IUU fishing and smuggling networks, Drug trafficking across the Arabian Sea and Cyber threats targeting port infrastructure. Such threats complicate enforcement across vast maritime spaces.
4. Coastal Security Vulnerabilities: 7,517 km coastline and 2.02 million sq km EEZ creates surveillance and enforcement challenges. The 2008 Mumbai attacks exposed vulnerabilities in coastal monitoring and maritime intelligence coordination.
5. Strategic Competition in the Indian Ocean: Increasing presence of external powers in the IOR-through naval bases, port investments and surveillance—has intensified geopolitical competition. Infrastructure initiatives and maritime deployments influence regional balance and strategic autonomy.

Way Forward

1. Accelerate Integrated Maritime Domain Awareness with real-time data fusion (Navy-Coast Guard-AI).
2. Operationalise Operation Sankalp 2.0 for convoy protection in high-risk areas.
3. Strengthen IORA & Colombo Security Conclave for rule-based norms.
4. Invest in anti-drone, underwater drones & cyber-hardened ports via Budget outlay.
5. Push UNCLOS-compliant Code of Conduct for IOR and revive MILAN as confidence-builder.
6. Mandate third-party audits of sanctions’ impact on neutral shipping.

Conclusion

The sinking of the frigate is not just a tactical victory but a strategic destabilizer. For India, 2026 demands a shift from passive observation to active maritime mediation to prevent a full-scale IOR war.