The Centre has designated the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) as the new safety regulator for about 250 facilities across all minor and major Indian seaports along the country’s maritime borders.
CISF Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ajay Dahiya said the categorisation of the central paramilitary force (under the Union Home Ministry) was done by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways through an order issued on November 18.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the plan is expected to be operational within the next six months. “For all matters related to port security, the CISF will be the nodal regulatory authority. We will work in three domains providing consultancy for establishing security systems and gadgets, deploying hybrid security manpower, and training all stakeholders in the sector,” the senior officer said.
The CISF will handle core security functions, such as counter-terrorism and anti-sabotage operations, at all EXIM (export-import) ports, while non-core duties like traffic management, gate control, and other ancillary tasks will be carried out by private security agencies or state police forces.
The CISF may require as many as 80,000 personnel at the rate of 1,000 for each over the next few years to secure 80 major seaports as part of a new tech-enabled security framework, officials said.
At present, the force has around 5,300 personnel deployed for these duties. A hybrid security model combining CISF and private security personnel, upgraded screening systems, and dedicated training institutions for port-security staff is also being introduced, according to the blueprint of the new system.
“These steps represent a major stride toward creating secure, efficient and future-ready ports that support India’s economic growth and global maritime ambitions,” DIG Dahiya said.
