New Delhi, October 14, 2025: A four-member delegation from the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), led by Director General Paramesh Sivamani, AVSM, PTM, TM, is representing India at the 21st Heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM) being held in Sydney, Australia from October 13–15, 2025. The annual meeting is hosted this year by the Australian Border Force (ABF).
The HACGAM forum, comprising 21 member nations, one regional representative (Hong Kong), and two associate members — the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) — serves as a vital regional platform to strengthen cooperation among Asian maritime agencies. Discussions at the forum focus on enhancing maritime safety, security, environmental protection, and law enforcement across the region.
India, which currently chairs the Maritime Search and Rescue (M-SAR) Pillar, is also an active member of several HACGAM working groups including Environmental Protection, Prevention and Control of Unlawful Activities at Sea, Information Sharing, and Joint Exercises. The Indian delegation is contributing to discussions on strengthening regional maritime coordination and operational collaboration.
The origin of HACGAM dates back to the 1999 interception of MV Alondra Rainbow by the Indian Coast Guard following a piracy incident. The success of that operation led to a collective realization of the need for institutionalized cooperation among regional coast guards, prompting the Japan Coast Guard to convene the first HACGAM meeting in Tokyo in 2004.
Over the years, HACGAM has evolved into a crucial forum for advancing collaboration in search and rescue operations, combating transnational maritime crimes, addressing illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and protecting the marine environment. The meeting also serves as a platform to promote capacity building, interoperability, and mutual trust among regional maritime enforcement agencies.
On the sidelines of the summit, the ICG delegation also held a bilateral meeting with the Thailand Maritime Enforcement Command Centre (Thai-MECC) to discuss maritime cooperation and emerging regional challenges.
India’s participation in HACGAM 2025 reaffirms its commitment to the Indo-Pacific Maritime Vision, aimed at ensuring a safe, secure, and sustainable maritime domain through regional collaboration and shared responsibility.
