Odisha CM calls for leveraging AI to boost maritime security

Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday pitched for the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), unmanned systems and advanced monitoring networks to strengthen India’s maritime security.

Addressing a national-level meeting of the multi-agency maritime security group (MAMSG-policy) in Bhubaneswar, Majhi underlined Odisha’s pivotal role in driving the nation’s maritime growth and the blue economy.“India is emerging as a major maritime power. Odisha, with its rich maritime heritage, is central to this growth. To reinforce the state’s strategic position, a deep-sea port in Ganjam and a shipbuilding cluster near Paradip are being developed,” Majhi said.He stressed that maritime security goes beyond traditional policing, encompassing protection of critical infrastructure, domain awareness, cybersecurity, disaster management and environmental safeguards. Majhi hailed the policy-level maritime security forum’s meeting, held outside Delhi for the first time, and praised the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, Odisha police and other agencies for their coordinated roles in safeguarding the nation’s maritime borders.

DGP Y B Khurania said that the maritime security environment is becoming increasingly complex. “Threats ranging from terrorism, smuggling, narcotics trafficking and illegal migration to cyberattacks, unlawful fishing and other transnational crimes demand constant vigilance and seamless coordination,” the DGP said.Odisha’s nearly 575-km coastline along the Bay of Bengal, dotted with major ports, fishing communities, industrial hubs and ecologically sensitive zones, makes it a strategic asset.

“Protecting these requires a robust coastal security framework. The state govt has accorded high priority to coastal security, allocating Rs 149 crore last fiscal and Rs 113 crore this year for infrastructure, technology and manpower,” Khurania said.The DGP outlined key initiatives of Odisha police in recent years. “Our coastal security wing has pursued a two-pronged strategy — capacity optimisation and capacity building.

The goal is not just to acquire assets, but to maximise operational effectiveness through smarter deployment, intensive training, intelligence-driven operations and seamless technology integration,” he said.Vice admiral (retired) Biswajit Dasgupta, national maritime security coordinator, called for a comprehensive strategic framework drawing from global models. Chief secretary Anu Garg stated that maritime security must extend beyond military dimensions, urging focus on both mainland coasts and islands.