New Delhi: Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth opened the Multinational Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX-2026) on Wednesday. The exercise will take place off Paradip on October 8. Thirty-two delegates from thirty foreign countries will take part and watch the exercise.
Seth spoke to the gathering. Welcomed representatives from international organisations and friendly foreign countries. He said that their participation shows a shared promise to strengthen safety at sea and cooperation in the region.
He said that the presence of the Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, Coastal Police, ports, civil agencies, the shipping community and international partners shows that security at sea cannot be managed by one agency. It needs a of-government and whole-of-nation approach.
Seth also pointed out India’s work to improve its Search and Rescue capabilities through cooperation, better preparation and new technology.
He noted that India’s satellite-aided Search and Rescue capabilities have moved from Low Earth Orbit Search and Rescue (LEOSAR) to Geostationary Search and Rescue (GEOSAR) and are now moving to Medium Earth Orbit Search and Rescue (MEOSAR).
He described the operational capability of the Indian Earth Orbit Local User Terminal (MEOLUT) as a big step forward for India’s satellite-aided Search and Rescue. He congratulated ISRO and the teams that made it happen.
SAREX-2026 aims to test how ready everyone is improve how nations work together try joint response plans and share ideas. The main goal is to save lives at sea.
Earlier on Wednesday the National Maritime Search and Rescue (NMSAR) Board Meeting was led by Director General Indian Coast Guard and Chairman, NMSAR Board, Paramesh Sivamani.
The meeting looked at Search and Rescue readiness across the 4.6 million kilometre Indian Search & Rescue Region (ISRR). Discussions covered technology integration, real‑time information sharing, distress alerts, vessel tracking and coordination, between agencies.
The meeting also featured the National Maritime Search & Rescue Awards 2026 which recognized those who work to save lives at sea.
