State defence minister Sanjay Seth inaugurated the Multinational Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX-2026) on 7 October 2026, which was conducted off Paradip on 8 October 2026. The exercise witnessed the participation and observation of 32 delegates from 30 foreign friendly nations.

Addressing the gathering, the minister welcomed the representatives of international organisations and friendly foreign countries and appreciated their presence as the mutual commitment towards enhancing cooperation and strengthening maritime safety across the region. He said the participation of the Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, Coastal Police, Ports, Civil Agencies, Shipping Community and international and regional partners demonstrated that modern maritime security is not the responsibility of any single agency, but requires a Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Nation approach.

The minister highlighted India’s continued efforts to strengthen its search and rescue (SAR) capabilities through cooperation, preparedness and technological advancement. He noted that India’s journey in Satellite Aided search and rescue has progressively evolved from Low Earth Orbit Search and Rescue (LEOSAR) to Geostationary Search and Rescue (GEOSAR) and now towards Medium Earth Orbit Search and Rescue (MEOSAR). He described the achievement of full operations capability of the Indian Earth Orbit Local User Terminal (MEOLUT) as a significant advancement in India’s satellite-aided search and rescue capability. Seth congratulated Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and all associated teams for the achievement and their contribution towards strengthening India’s national SAR capabilities.

Seth called upon all participating agencies and international partners to reaffirm their shared commitment to safeguarding lives at sea and to strengthen the spirit of cooperation that underpins effective search and rescue across the region. Invoking the principle of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’, he said collective efforts can build a safer, more resilient and more cooperative maritime community.

The minister emphasised that as India moves towards the aspirations of Viksit Bharat 2047, its SAR capabilities must evolve, becoming faster, accurate and more resilient. He said a developed and empowered India must also become a safe, resilient and technologically advanced maritime nation, as reflected meaningfully in the motto of the Indian Coast Guard - Vayam Rakshamah (We Protect).

SAREX-2026 is a multi-agency exercise aimed at validating operational preparedness, enhancing international interoperability, testing joint response mechanisms and fostering the exchange of best practices, with preservation of life at sea as the paramount objective of every mission.

The 24th National Maritime Search and Rescue (NMSAR) Board Meeting was also convened under the chairmanship of Director General Paramesh Sivamani, DG Indian Coast Guard and Chairman, NMSAR Board on 7 October 2026. The board reviewed the preparedness of maritime search and rescue operations across the 4.6 million sq km Indian Search & Rescue Region (ISRR). During the meeting, deliberations were held on technological integration, real-time information sharing, distress-alert management, vessel tracking and inter-agency coordination, providing the operational foundation for SAREX-2026. The Chairman underscored that operational lessons derived from past missions and multi-agency exercises must directly translate into heightened mission readiness and response capabilities. The meeting also witnessed the presentation of the National Maritime Search & Rescue Awards 2026, recognising exemplary efforts in saving lives at sea.