I am very happy to present the President's Colours to the Indian Coast Guard today, in the Silver Jubilee year of its existence. With a coast line of about 7500 Kms and an exclusive economic zone of about 2 million square kilometres, having been tasked to provide and preserve the safety and protection of this long coast line, to extend protection and assistance to fishem1en, to preserve marine environment and prevent marine pollution and to assist the local authorities during natural calamities, the Indian Coast Guard has a very vital role to play not only in the defence of the country but also in imparting meaning and depth to the country's developmental efforts by playing a positive role as part of their charter of duties.

I am delighted to know that over the last 25 years, the Indian Coast Guard has achieved remarkable growth not only in the strength of its fleet and equipment but also in its stature and perfom1ance. I am aware that like the Am1Y, Navy and Air Force, the personnel of the Coast Guard also perfom1 their duties in a none-too-comfortable, if not hostile environment most of the time. This calls for a total sense of commitment, single minded devotion and true sense of patriotism. That the Coast Guard has so far performed well shows that it can be proud of its Officers and Men who have these qualities in abundant measure. I congratulate them for that and am confident that these qualities will be maintained undiluted for all time to come.

We are living in a dynamic world and as such marching forward would depend entirely on our resilience and our capacity to meet successfully the challenges that we encounter day after day. This entails an imperative need to continuously update, improve and modernise our systems and capabilities, consistent with advancements in science and technology the world over. Sometimes we have to literally run to stay where we are but to my mind that is not enough. We need to necessarily move forward and that calls for innovative thinking and sufficiently forward looking strategies and adoption of measures accordingly. This plain truth of modem day existence can be ignored only at our peril. But I am sure that the Indian Coast Guard will live up to the challenges and look forward to higher and higher growth and greater and greater performance as days go by. I am sure the Government will help you in every way iRachieving this objective.

I have no doubt that the presentation of Colours today will bring the recognition and honour to the Indian Coast Guard that are its due, and impel it to surge forward to! greater heights of glory and thus continue to live up to its motto.

Jai Hind

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