The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) conducted the 12th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX-2026) off Paradip, Odisha, to strengthen maritime safety and improve coordination among agencies involved in search and rescue operations.
SAREX-2026 is a multi-agency exercise designed to enhance preparedness, coordination and operational capabilities for maritime search and rescue (SAR) missions.
The exercise aligns with India’s SAGAR and MAHASAGAR visions for maritime cooperation and regional engagement.
Conducting agency: Indian Coast Guard.
Location: Off Paradip, Odisha.
Edition: 12th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise.
Theme: “Leveraging Technology to Strengthen SAR Preparedness and Maritime Safety.”
International participation: 32 observers from 30 countries.
The participation of international observers facilitated the exchange of best practices, strengthened global interoperability and reaffirmed India’s role as a dependable maritime search and rescue partner.
The exercise involved multiple agencies and a combination of maritime, aerial and shore-based resources.
|
Participating agency/resource |
Assets deployed |
|---|---|
|
Indian Coast Guard |
15 ships, 3 Dornier aircraft, 3 Advanced Light Helicopters and 1 Chetak helicopter |
|
Indian Air Force |
C-130J aircraft and Mi-17 helicopters |
|
Indian Navy |
2 ships |
|
Other participants |
Civil and state resources, along with shore-based support units |
The coordinated deployment demonstrated the importance of inter-agency cooperation during complex maritime emergencies.
The sea exercise simulated a Mass Rescue Operation (MRO) following simultaneous aeronautical and maritime distress emergencies.
In the simulated scenario, a passenger aircraft carrying 228 persons ditched at sea near Paradip Port. Its fuselage struck the container vessel MV Zumba, causing structural damage and a fire.
The scenario tested the ability of participating agencies to coordinate rescue operations involving a large number of people in a complex maritime environment.
The exercise involved several emergency response procedures, including:
Incident Command Post activation to coordinate operations and manage emergency response.
Firefighting operations to control the simulated fire aboard the vessel.
Helicopter evacuations to rescue people from the affected area.
Deployment of life rafts and air-droppable life rafts to provide emergency flotation and evacuation support.
Jason Cradle and Gemini recovery procedures for recovering people from the water.
Rescue basket operations and scramble net procedures to facilitate the recovery of survivors.
Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) demonstration to showcase technology-enabled maritime operations.
The exercise improves preparedness for maritime accidents involving passenger vessels, aircraft and commercial shipping. It also helps agencies practise coordinated responses to emergencies involving large numbers of people.
The participation of the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, civil agencies and state resources strengthens coordination during complex search and rescue operations.
The participation of observers from 30 countries encourages the exchange of operational knowledge and best practices, improving interoperability during regional maritime emergencies.
The use of helicopters, specialised recovery equipment and remotely operated vehicles highlights the role of technology in improving rescue efficiency and maritime emergency response.
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In every Lecture. Director Sir will provide conceptual understanding with around 800 Mindmaps.
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