Soon, ports to get airport-grade security

THe Bureau of Ports certificate (BoPS), a young federal soldier bureau meant to supervise the security of ports across the country, will include a cybersecurity division and work to implement more stringent access control and security management across the country’s ports, similar to the systems at airports, people familiar with the matter said.On December 19, the ministry of home affairs announced the setting up of BoPS, which will be headed by a director general (DG) from the Indian Police Service (IPS). According to officials familiar with the matter, the agency will be involved in the overhaul of security management at all ports -- from laying down security protocols and monitoring operations to training personnel to meet the best industry standards.Established as a statutory body under Section 13 of the newly promulgated Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, the agency will function under the aegis of the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways and will be responsible for regulatory oversight and coordination related to the security of ships and port infrastructure.Officials said that the BoPS will function similarly to the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), which was set up in 1987 and is responsible for laying down security measures for all airports and flights across the country.“The BoPS will coordinate regularly with intelligence agencies regarding port security and the monitoring of goods transported via marine routes. The DG will be assisted by one or two Additional DGs and multiple Deputy Director General officials in charge of different verticals. An audit of the security and current infrastructure at all ports will be conducted, based on which security levels will be graded. Similar to airport security infrastructure, there are multiple agencies, such as Customs, CISF, state police, and shipping companies, that will coordinate with this body,” said an official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.Most officers joining the agency will be on deputation from the shipping ministry and state police forces. “The bureau will regularly monitor threats at each port, update agencies, and issue guidelines accordingly. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) will be prepared by the BoPS after detailed consultation with all agencies on board. The bureau will conduct surprise inspections and drills to make recommendations. Deputy Director General-rank officers will most likely head divisions such as technical and cyber threats, training, security, and operations,” the official added. The agency’s headquarters is likely to be in New Delhi, just like the BCAS.Last month, the Centre designated the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) as the Recognised Security Organisation (RSO) for port facilities and assigned it the task of undertaking security assessments and preparing security plans. While 13 major ports are currently under CISF cover, the force will soon manage security at 67 additional major ports. India has at least 200 small and major ports, though only around 65 are engaged in cargo operations. The security at other ports, currently not under CISF cover, is being managed by state police and private agencies.The CISF, along with the BoPS, will formulate the regulatory framework, disseminate security-related information, direct the installation of necessary security infrastructure at each port, and regulate private security agencies at smaller ports.The development comes in the backdrop of several crackdowns on smuggling at the country’s international ports. On August 20, the home ministry, in a reply to a question in Parliament, said that drugs worth ₹11,000 crore have been seized from different ports in India between 2020 and 2024. The highest recovery was in 2021 at Adani Port, Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Mundra, Gujarat, when the DRI recovered 2,988 kg of heroin worth ₹5,876 crore. The second-highest was a 2020 case at the VO Chidambaranar Port in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, when the DRI recovered 303 kg of cocaine worth ₹1,515 crore. From weapons and drugs to e-cigarettes and Chinese drones, agencies have been recovering large consignments of banned items from ports.Over the last year, intelligence agencies have also received inputs regarding potential terror attacks and hijackings of maritime vessels. Consequently, the Centre is focusing on coastal security and has involved the NSG to conduct anti-hijacking drills, mirroring protocols in the aviation sector. During the annual DG-IG conference in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with police chiefs and discussed the importance of port and coastal security in a separate session.