Maritime Security is a broad concept and an umbrella term that encompasses issues related to national security, economic development, and human security in the maritime domain. The Indian Navy's Indian Maritime Doctrine characterizes it as "freedom from threats at or from the sea". Its origin as a modern, comprehensive concern was significantly shaped by the early 2000s, when fears of terrorist attacks on port facilities led to the creation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. In India, the vulnerability exposed by the 2008 Mumbai attacks was a critical driver for strengthening coastal security.
The mechanism works through a coordinated effort by the Indian Navy, the Indian Coast Guard, and various Union/State agencies. India's legal jurisdiction is founded on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), asserting plenary sovereignty over its Territorial Sea (12 nautical miles) and sovereign rights over its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Key provisions are implemented via laws like the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation and Fixed Platforms on Continental Shelf Act, 2002.
The concept connects directly to India's foreign policy doctrine of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR), launched in 2015. Related institutions include the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), set up in Gurugram in 2018, which enhances maritime domain awareness. India also projects itself as a "Net Security Provider" in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
The framework has changed recently: the Ensuring Secure Seas: Indian Maritime Security Strategy (IMSS-2015) replaced the earlier Freedom to Use the Seas: India's Maritime Military Strategy (IMMS-2007). A significant legal change was the enactment of the Anti-Maritime Piracy Act, 2022, which empowers India to prosecute pirates on the high seas, consistent with Article 105 of UNCLOS. Furthermore, the Indian Navy released the Maritime Security Strategy-2026 in April 2026, building on the Indian Maritime Doctrine 2025.