Rajnath confers gallantry, service medals to Coast Guard personnel

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh conferred 32 gallantry, distinguished service, and meritorious service medals to Indian Coast Guard (ICG) personnel during the 18th ICG Investiture Ceremony at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Tuesday. The awards were presented for exceptional acts of valour, dedication, and service in challenging conditions. The medals included six President’s Tatrakshak Medals (Distinguished Service), 11 Tatrakshak Medals (Gallantry), and 15 Tatrakshak Medals (Meritorious Service) for 2022, 2023, and 2024. Defence Minister hailed the recipients, describing the awards as symbols of bravery and perseverance in maintaining the nation’s coastal security and sovereignty.
In his address, Singh said the government is committed to enhancing the efficiency of the Indian Coast Guard. He said, the Coast Guard has been allocated nine thousand 676 crore rupees for the financial year 2025-26, which is 26.6 per cent more than the previous year’s budget. The Minister said this is a very important step towards modernizing the coast guard. He said the government has approved procuring 14 Fast Patrol Vessels, six Air Cushion Vehicles, 22 Interceptor Boats, six Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels and 18 Next Generation Fast Patrol Vessels for the Indian Coast Guard. Mr Singh said, that today, the Indian Coast Guard is one of the most efficient marine forces in the world and it is seen as a trustworthy force not only within the country but also among the global community. This is certainly a great achievement for the Indian Coast Guard. The Defence Minister said, the marine forces, especially the Indian Coast Guard, have to deal with many technological threats like Cyber ​​Attacks, Data breaches, signal jamming, radar disruption, and GPS spoofing. He said, on one hand, the Indian Coast Guard faces conventional threats and on the other hand, there are newly emerging threats as well. Singh said the Indian Coast Guard need to be alert in both ways.
Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Director General Indian Coast Guard Paramesh Sivamani were present on the occasion along with other senior officials.