SAREX-26 Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise Concludes Successfully Off Paradip Coast

Why in the News?

The 12th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise, **SAREX-26**, concluded successfully off the coast of Paradip in Odisha, witnessed by Director General of the Indian Coast Guard, Paramesh Sivamani.

Key Features / Major Points:

- Participating Agencies: The multi-agency exercise featured ships, helicopters, and Dornier aircraft of the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy assets, IAF C-130J transport aircraft, Customs department, and other maritime stakeholders.

- International Presence: 32 observers from 30 friendly foreign countries attended the event. The ICG leadership emphasized engaging international partners for collaborative real-time search and rescue (SAR) missions in the future.

- Flagship Vessel: The event operations were observed from aboard the Indian Coast Guard Ship **ICGS Samudra Pratap**.

- Global Praise: Blaise Taylor, Superintendent of the Australian Border Force, lauded the Indian Coast Guard for its exceptional leadership and cooperative framework in regional maritime search and rescue operations.

Static GK Facts:

- Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Established: February 1, 1977 (Headquarters: New Delhi).

- Director General of Indian Coast Guard (DGICG): Paramesh Sivamani.

- Paradip Port: A major deep-water all-weather port located in Jagatsinghpur district, Odisha, at the confluence of the Mahanadi River and the Bay of Bengal.

- Coast Guard Day: Celebrated annually on February 1.

One-Liner Quiz (All Competitive Exams):

Q: Off which coast was the 12th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise SAREX-26 successfully conducted?

A: Paradip Coast (Odisha)

Q: Who is the Director General of the Indian Coast Guard?

A: Paramesh Sivamani

Q: On board which Indian Coast Guard ship did foreign observers witness the SAREX-26 exercise?

A: ICGS Samudra Pratap

Q: In which year was the Indian Coast Guard officially established?

A: 1977 (February 1)

#SAREX26 #IndianCoastGuard #ParadipCoast #MaritimeSearchAndRescue #ICG #DefenceNews #CurrentAffairs #StaticGK