Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB), Government of India — Ministry of Defense · PIB Delhi · Read the original release on pib.gov.in
Minister of State for Defence, Shri Sanjay Seth inaugurated the Multinational Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX-2026) on October 7, 2026. The exercise will be conducted near Paradip on October 8, 2026. 32 representatives from 30 friendly countries will participate in this event and observe the exercise.
Addressing the program, the Minister of State for Defense welcomed the representatives of international organizations and friendly countries. They appreciated their presence and shared commitment to promoting cooperation in the region and enhancing maritime security. Shri Sanjay Seth said that the involvement of Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, Coastal Police, ports, civilian agencies, maritime transport sector community and international and regional partners shows that modern maritime security is not the responsibility of any single agency. For this, there is a need for coordination and working together between all the concerned parties at the level of the government and the entire country.
The Minister of State for Defense stressed India's continuous efforts to excel its search and rescue capabilities through cooperation, preparedness and technological advancement. He told that satellite based
India's journey in the field of search and rescue has progressed from Low Earth Orbit Search and Rescue (LEOSAR) to Geostationary Search and Rescue (GEOSAR) and now Medium Earth Orbit Search and Rescue (MEOSAR). Shri Sanjay Seth described the achievement of full operational capability of Indian Earth Orbit Local User Terminal (MEOLUT) as a significant advancement in India's satellite based search and rescue capability. The Minister of State for Defense congratulated the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and all its associated teams for this achievement and their contribution in upgrading India's national Search and Rescue (SAR) capabilities.
The Minister of State for Defense called upon all participating agencies and international partners to reiterate their shared commitment to saving lives at sea and to further strengthen the spirit of cooperation that forms the basis of effective search and rescue operations across the region. Referring to the principle of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’, he said that through collective efforts, a safer, more resilient and more cooperative maritime community can be built.
Shri Seth emphasized that as our country is moving towards the goals of 'Developed India 2047', it is necessary to make its search and rescue capabilities more fast, accurate and strong. He said that for a developed and strong India, it is equally important to become a secure, strong and technologically advanced maritime nation. This commitment is also reflected in the motto of the Indian Coast Guard ‘Vayam Raksham’ (We Protect).
SAREX-2026 is a joint exercise of multiple agencies. Its objective is to test operational preparedness, strengthen the capacity for coordination and cooperation at the international level, practice joint action procedures and exchange best practices. Also, the most important goal of this entire mission is to save the lives of people in distress at sea.
The 24th meeting of the National Maritime Search and Rescue Board was held today on 7 October 2026 under the chairmanship of Director General Parmesh Shivmani, Director General of the Indian Coast Guard and Chairman of the National Maritime Search and Rescue Board. During this, the preparedness for maritime search and rescue operations in the Indian search and rescue area spread over 46 lakh square kilometers was reviewed. In this meeting, important issues like technical integration, real-time information sharing, crisis alert management, monitoring of ships and better coordination among various agencies were discussed in the meeting with the aim of better operational preparedness for SAREX-2026. The Chairman emphasized that the practical experiences gained from previous operations and exercises conducted with various agencies should be reflected in the preparedness and rapid response capability of future operations. ‘National Maritime Search and Rescue Awards-2026’ were also presented during the meeting. Through these awards, individuals and organizations who have done excellent work in saving the lives of people in distress at sea were honored.
This is the official press release issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), and is published without changes.
