Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba, while addressing Indo-Pacific Regional dialogue, said that terrorists are getting trained to execute operations in the country, including through the route of the sea.
“We have reports of terrorists being trained to carry out operations in various modus operandi including through the medium of the sea,” Admiral Sunil Lanba said.
India in past also has faced many sea-borne terrorist attacks like the 26/11 Mumbai attack, in which terrorists had used the sea-route to enter the city. Since then, India has upgraded its coastal security to prevent future attacks originating through sea route.
India has a long coastline, and it shares the Arabian Sea coast with Pakistan. Sea route has been used to bring weapons and explosives to the country, and before that in smuggling operations for a long time.
Minister of state in the Home Ministry Hansraj Ahir also had said in parliament, in the month of January, that Pakistan-based terrorist groups are getting trained for underwater strike capabilities or “Samudri Jihad”, to enter India by sea.
On the issue of terrorism, Navy Chief said that Indo-Pacific region, in recent years, has faced many acts of horror and only a few countries have been spared.
“Global nature which terrorism has acquired in recent times has further enhanced the scope of this threat.” He added. He also felt that it is imperative for the world to stand against terrorism, and help in containing it and eliminating it.
Talking about the ghastly Pulwama terrorist attack which took lives of more than 40 CRPF jawans last month, Navy Chief Lanba said that India faces a far more dangerous version of state-sponsored terrorism. “This violence was perpetrated by extremists, aided by a state which seeks to destabilise India”, he said about the Pulwama attack, without naming Pakistan. He also said that terrorist groups are evolving in the world at a very fast pace, but he added that India is also relentlessly thwarting their operations.