Terming the threat of terrorism from the seas as worrisome, Defence Minister A K Antony on Tuesday said plans were afoot to boost up real time surveillance along the coastline by installing new sensors, radars and moving air assets into the area.

“The threat from terrorism from seas is proving a real difficult area for the security forces,” Antony said at a sidelines of a function to mark the Silver Jubilee of the Coastguard Aviation wing here.

His comments came as the seas around India off Sri Lankan coast as well as in Malacca Straits are witnessing renewed clandestine operations by terrorist groups and sea-pirates.

“We have been able to contain infiltration through land borders and they are becoming tension-free, but our coastline is turning out to be a real difficult area for us,” the defence minister said in his address to the Coastguard Commanders.

‘Hard vigil’
He said that “hard vigil” had to be maintained to ward off such threats in the high seas as well as more nearer on the country’s coastline.

The government is alive to such emergent threats and upgradation and modernisation of aviation wing to meet the varied challenges from the sea is underway. “There are occasional incidence of terrorism, piracy, robbery and drug trafficking through coastal line.

So, naturally we have to be more vigilant in the sea coast as by 2009 the Especial Economic Zone (EEZ) across the coast would increase to 3 million sq/mile from 2.1 million sq/mile now,” Antony told reporters here.

Stressing the need of acquisition of aircrafts, arsenals and other gadgets, Antony said: “We are working out a schedule for the purchase and replacement of modern radars, sensors, aircrafts and other gadgets in the forthcoming Annual Acquisition Plans, besides increasing the vigilance across the coastline.”

Replying to a query about the delay in acquisition of aircraft and other gadgets, he said the government is coming up with policy for fast modernisation and acquisition.