UPSC Mains 2025 GS3 Q20: model answer
Why is maritime security vital to protect India’s sea trade ? Discuss maritime and coastal security challenges and the way forward.
What the question wants
Importance of maritime security for trade, threats at sea and on the coast, and remedies.
How to structure it
Intro: trade figures. Body: (1) Why maritime security is vital; (2) Maritime challenges; (3) Coastal challenges; (4) Way forward. Conclusion: A secure sea is the foundation of India's trade and its ambition to be a leading maritime power.
- 1(1) Why maritime security is vital
- 2(2) Maritime challenges
- 3(3) Coastal challenges
- 4(4)
Model answer
About 95% of India's trade by volume and around 70% by value moves by sea. India has a long coastline, over 1,300 islands and an EEZ of over two million sq km. Its energy imports come through sea lanes from the Gulf.
Why maritime security is vital
- Protect sea lanes and chokepoints: Strait of Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb, Malacca.
- Keep shipping and insurance costs low.
- Secure ports, offshore oil (Mumbai High) and undersea cables.
- Support Blue Economy goals.
Maritime challenges
- Houthi attacks in the Red Sea (since late 2023) forced ships around Africa.
- Revival of Somali piracy; Navy's Operation Sankalp rescued several ships in 2024.
- Growing Chinese naval presence and research vessels in the Indian Ocean; ports in Gwadar and Hambantota.
- Illegal, unreported fishing; drug trafficking by sea.
Coastal challenges
- 26/11 showed gaps: terrorists came by sea.
- Thousands of fishing boats are hard to track; small landing points.
- Smuggling of drugs (large seizures off Gujarat).
- Coordination among Navy, Coast Guard, marine police, customs and ports.
Way forward
- Strengthen the three-tier coastal security system; coastal radar chain; AIS transponders on all boats.
- Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (2018) for shared maritime awareness.
- A National Maritime Security Coordinator post (created in 2022) to unify agencies.
- SAGAR (2015) and MAHASAGAR (2025) vision; Colombo Security Conclave; Quad maritime initiatives.
- Build ships and ports at home: Maritime India Vision 2030, Great Nicobar transshipment port.
A secure sea is the foundation of India's trade and its ambition to be a leading Indian Ocean power.
Keywords, cases and data to drop in
95% by volume sea lanes Red Sea Operation Sankalp 26/11 IFC-IOR SAGAR/MAHASAGAR
Where most answers lose marks
- Not separating maritime and coastal security.
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23 Aug 2026Question text as printed in the official UPSC question paper: https://www.upsc.gov.in/sites/default/files/GENERAL-STUDIES-PAPER-III-QP-CSM-25-010925.pdf The model answer is original Battle IAS work; use it to learn structure, not to memorise.