February 1, 2022 marks the 46th Raising Day of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). So, let’s learn everything there is to know about coast guard officer ranks.
The Indian Coast Guard was originally constituted on February 1, 1977, by the Indian Parliament‘s Coast Guard Act, 1978. It is controlled by the Ministry of Defense.
ICG began with just seven surface platforms in 1978 and now has 156 ships and 62 aircraft in its fleet. By 2025, it is expected to reach its target force levels of 200 surface platforms and 80 aircraft.
Ranks in the Coast Guard
Officer levels in the Coast Guard are named the same as those in the Central Armed Police Forces.
The four branches in the Indian Coast Guard are general duty, pilot officer, technical officer, and law officer.
General-Duty Officers and Pilot Officers are two types of positions females can occupy onshore, based in establishments, air stations, and headquarters. They are not posted on marine vessels.
Officers of the Indian Coast Guard are now undergoing Basic Military Training at the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, alongside their Indian Navy counterparts.
This facilitates exchange of officers between the two entities. The Indian Coast Guard Academy is being built in Mangalore, Karnataka.
Let us explore these positions within the Indian Coast Guard more deeply.
General Duty Officers
Officers of the General-Duty (GD) branch are the only ones who can command ships at sea.
A General-Duty Officer’s main responsibilities would be to operate guns, sensors, and various types of technology on board of a ship.
The GD officers would be in charge of the ship’s and men’s safety. A GD Officer of the Indian Coast Guard exercises all District Commanders (COMDIS) and Commander of Coast Guard Region (COMCG) posts.
Pilots
The GD branch also includes pilot officers. A Pilot Officer can work at shore air stations throughout the Indian coasts, as well as embark ships.
Fixed-wing aircraft are used by ICG to monitor the Exclusive Economic Zone.
Helicopters are often stationed on Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) to offer local surveillance and conduct search and rescue missions at sea.
Officers in Charge of Technology
Technical Officers are in charge of modern technology and sensor systems on board Coast Guard boats and planes, as well as on land.
They are also in charge of the force’s maintenance wings.
Officers of the law
Law Officers advise their respective commanders on legal matters. They represent the Indian Coast Guard in legal proceedings brought by or against it.
They also serve as trial law officers in Coast Guard courts that hear cases involving delinquent Coast Guard personnel.
The Chief Law Officer is the Directorate of Law of Coast Guard Headquarters, which is led by a Deputy Inspector-General.
The qualifications for being appointed as the Chief Law Officer of the Indian Coast Guard are outlined in Section 115 of the Coast Guard Act of 1978. The Chief Law Officer’s duties are defined in Section 116 of the Coast Guard Act of 1978.
Personnel Enrolled
The Coast Guard has two types of enlisted personnel: yantriks (technicians) and naviks (sailor).
On board Coast Guard vessels and aircraft, Yantriks oversee operating and repairing mechanical, electrical, and aeronautical equipment and systems.
Naviks can also work in the General-Duty or Domestic branches of the military. The General-Duty naviks work as sailors, weapons system operators, communication specialists, divers, and other maritime and aviation support personnel. On board Coast Guard boats, domestic branch naviks work as stewards, cooks, and other positions.
At the naval training complex INS Chilka, enlisted troops of the Indian Coast Guard are trained alongside Indian Naval sailors.
All training received by Coast Guard personnel is identical to that received by Indian Navy sailors.
In the event of an emergency, all workers are trained to operate weapons systems.
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