New Delhi, 19 December (H.S.): Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Friday chaired a high-level meeting to establish a dedicated statutory body — the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS) — aimed at enhancing the security of India’s ports and vessels.
The meeting was attended by the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the Minister of Civil Aviation.
During the meeting, Shah highlighted the urgent need for a robust port security framework across the country and directed that all security measures be implemented in a graded and risk-based manner, factoring in each port’s vulnerability, trade potential, and geographic location.
The new Bureau of Port Security (BoPS) will be constituted under Section 13 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, and will function under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW). Headed by a Director General (an IPS officer of Pay Level-15), the Bureau will serve as the regulatory and oversight authority for ship and port facility security.
During a one-year transition period, the Director General of Shipping will also serve as the Director General of BoPS.Modelled on the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), BoPS will ensure the collection, analysis, and exchange of security-related information.
The Bureau will place special emphasis on cybersecurity, with a dedicated division to safeguard digital infrastructure and defend against cyber threats targeting port IT systems.To further strengthen on-ground security, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has been designated as a Recognised Security Organisation (RSO) for port facilities.
The CISF will be responsible for conducting risk assessments, preparing port security plans, and training private security agencies (PSAs) involved in port safety operations.These PSAs will be certified and regulated to ensure that only licensed and trained private agencies participate in maritime security operations.
The Home Minister also noted that best practices and lessons drawn from the maritime security architecture would be replicated in the aviation domain to ensure seamless coordination between India’s coastal and air security ecosystems.
---------------
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
