Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth to Inaugurate 12th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX-2026) at Paradip Coast

Minister of State for Defence Shri Sanjay Seth will inaugurate the 12th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX-2026), organized by the Indian Coast Guard, on October 7, 2026. Additionally, he will observe Search and Rescue (SAR) demonstrations at the Paradip coast on October 8, 2026.

A key highlight of this exercise is the participation of 32 international observers from 30 countries, reflecting its strategic importance and global interoperability. SAREX-2026 is set to be one of the largest and most complex search and rescue exercises in the region. The operation will deploy 15 ships from the Indian Coast Guard, two Dornier aircraft, three Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), one Chetak helicopter, C-130J and Mi-17 aircraft from the Indian Air Force, two vessels from the Indian Navy, as well as civilian/state assets and shore-based support units.

During the exercise, aviation and maritime distress situations will be simulated. Large-scale rescue operations will be conducted based on scenarios such as a passenger aircraft carrying 228 people ditching in the sea and its subsequent collision with the container ship 'MV Zumba'.

Alongside the exercise, the 24th National Maritime Search and Rescue (NMSAR) Board meeting will be held in Bhubaneswar, chaired by Director General of the Indian Coast Guard, Parmesh Shivmani. The primary objective of this meeting is to strengthen national SAR preparedness, improve crisis-warning management, and accelerate rescue operations through better coordination and technology integration among various agencies.

The 24th NMSAR Board meeting and SAREX-2026 demonstrate India's commitment to building a swift, technology-enabled, and internationally connected SAR framework, in alignment with the vision of 'SAGAR' and the spirit of the ocean.