Indian Coast Guard Academy
Encyclopedia
The Indian Coast Guard Academy (ICGA) is a training establishment for Indian Coast Guard
(ICG) personnel, which is currently under construction in Azhikkal
, Kerala
.
(INA). Following the 2008 Mumbai attacks
, the Indian Government initiated a program to triple the ICG force, assets and infrastructure. Both the Navy and the Government recognized that the increased intake of ICG cadets would further tax the alread-stretched INA facilities. This provided an added impetus for the Union Council of Ministers to approve the establishment of the ICGA in 2009.
The search for a site for the academy started in earnest in 2010. Various sites were considered for the academy, the primary criteria being ample space on the coastal waterfont. The Government of Kerala
was keen to host the site in the state. Consequently, the then Minister for Industries & Commerce of Kerala, Elamaram Kareem
, prevailed upon the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation
(KINFRA) to transfer some of its unutilized land in the coastal town of Azhikkal to the ICG for the academy. The transfer was completed on 24 February 2011. On 27 February, the then Defence Minister of India, A.K. Antony, announced the plans to start construction of the academy.
in Irinavu near Azhikkal in Kannur district
of northern Kerala. It is located about 8 miles (12.9 km) south of INA, Ezhimala, and the two maritime academies are expected to share some training infrastructure in the Kerala backwaters.
Indian Coast Guard
The Indian Coast Guard is a branch of the Indian Armed Forces. Its mission is the protection of India's maritime interests and maritime law enforcement with jurisdiction over both territorial and international waters....
(ICG) personnel, which is currently under construction in Azhikkal
Azhikkal
Azhikkal is a coastal village in Kannur district, Kerala, India. The village has a small port and a fishing harbour. It is the site for a proposed expanded cargo port. The Valapattanam River empties into the Arabian Sea at Azhikkal....
, Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
.
History
Indian Coast Guard personnel were historically trained at the Indian Naval AcademyIndian Naval Academy
The Indian Naval Academy is the initial officer training establishment of the Indian Navy, located in Ezhimala, Kerala. Situated between Mount Dilli and the Kavvayi backwaters, NAVAC has a 7 km beach front on the Arabian Sea. It conducts basic training for all officers inducted into the...
(INA). Following the 2008 Mumbai attacks
2008 Mumbai attacks
The 2008 Mumbai attacks were more than 10 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across Mumbai, India's largest city, by Islamist attackers who came from Pakistan...
, the Indian Government initiated a program to triple the ICG force, assets and infrastructure. Both the Navy and the Government recognized that the increased intake of ICG cadets would further tax the alread-stretched INA facilities. This provided an added impetus for the Union Council of Ministers to approve the establishment of the ICGA in 2009.
The search for a site for the academy started in earnest in 2010. Various sites were considered for the academy, the primary criteria being ample space on the coastal waterfont. The Government of Kerala
Government of Kerala
The Government of Kerala is a democratically elected body that governs the State of Kerala, India for a period of 5 years. The state government is headed by the Governor of Kerala as the nominal head of state, with a democratically elected Chief Minister as real head of the executive. The state...
was keen to host the site in the state. Consequently, the then Minister for Industries & Commerce of Kerala, Elamaram Kareem
Elamaram Kareem
Elamaram Kareem is an Indian politician, trade unionist, and a member of Communist Party of India . He was the Minister for Industries & Commerce in the Left Democratic Front government under V. S. Achuthanandan from 2006-2011...
, prevailed upon the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation
Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation
Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation is a government agency under the government of the Indian state of Kerala. It's headquarter was in Thiruvananthapuram. It undertakes development of industrial estates, to nurture industrialization in the state. Dr...
(KINFRA) to transfer some of its unutilized land in the coastal town of Azhikkal to the ICG for the academy. The transfer was completed on 24 February 2011. On 27 February, the then Defence Minister of India, A.K. Antony, announced the plans to start construction of the academy.
Campus
ICGA is coming up on a 164 acre (0.66368504 km²) campus near Valapattanam estuary on the Arabian SeaArabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
in Irinavu near Azhikkal in Kannur district
Kannur district
Kannur District is one of the 14 districts in the state of Kerala, India. The town of Kannur is the district headquarters, and gives the district its name. The old name Cannanore is the anglicised form of the Malayalam name Kannur. Kannur District is bounded by Kasaragod District to the north and...
of northern Kerala. It is located about 8 miles (12.9 km) south of INA, Ezhimala, and the two maritime academies are expected to share some training infrastructure in the Kerala backwaters.