Centre to establish Bureau of Port Security to strengthen maritime safety framework

The government has decided to set up a dedicated statutory authority, the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS), to strengthen security oversight at Indian ports and enhance the protection of vessels and maritime infrastructure.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, which was attended by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu.

The proposed body will be responsible for analysing, collecting and sharing security-related intelligence concerning ports and ships, enabling faster and more coordinated responses to potential threats. Emphasising the need for a comprehensive national port security framework, Shah directed that security protocols be implemented using a graded, risk-based approach, factoring in port-specific vulnerabilities, trade volumes, geographic location and other critical parameters.

The meeting also underscored that best practices and lessons from India’s maritime security framework could be extended to strengthen aviation security systems as well.

Modelled on the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, the BoPS will be established under the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, as a statutory authority functioning under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. The bureau will be headed by a senior Indian Police Service officer serving as Director General and will carry out regulatory and supervisory responsibilities related to the security of ports and ships.

During the initial one-year transition phase, the Director General of Shipping will assume the additional role of Director General of the BoPS.

A key mandate of the new bureau will be the integration of cybersecurity into port security planning. The BoPS will include a dedicated division focused on protecting port information technology systems from digital and cyber threats.

As part of the new security architecture, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has been designated as the recognised security organisation responsible for conducting security assessments and preparing security plans for port facilities. In addition, the Central Armed Police Forces will be tasked with training and capacity-building for private security agencies deployed at ports.

The government said that private security agencies operating in ports will be subject to certification and regulatory oversight to ensure that only licensed and compliant entities are allowed to provide security services in the sector.