According to a release issued by the Press Information Bureau , during the ACGAM, the 12th Annual Bilateral Meeting between the Indian Coast Guard and the Korea Coast Guard was also held on September 4, 2024. This meeting was under the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two agencies in March 2006. The meeting focused on enhancing operational-level interaction and capacity building in the areas of maritime search and rescue, pollution response and law enforcement.
HACGAM is primarily focused on promoting cooperation among the coast guards of member Asian states to ensure and promote safe, secure and clean seas in the region. It is an independent forum with 23 member coast guard agencies and also has two associate members in the form of Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAP) and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). It comprises four working groups enabling a focused and goal-oriented approach for synergy and coordinated response to common maritime issues.
The Indian Coast Guard chairs the Search and Rescue Working Group and is an active member of other working groups, including those on environmental protection, control of illegal activities at sea and information sharing.
