Bureau of Port Security (BoPS): Strengthening India's Maritime Security

Context

• The Central Government has constituted the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS) as a statutory body under Section 13 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025. It is modeled after the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and will function under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.
• The primary objective of BoPS is to ensure regulatory oversight and coordination of security related to ships and port facilities. This initiative has been taken keeping in mind India's growing maritime economy and security challenges, which aligns with the vision of 'Developed India 2047'.

Reasons for Establishing BoPS

• Currently, coastal security responsibilities are fragmented among multiple agencies, including the Indian Coast Guard, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), State Marine Police, and the Navy.
• This creates barriers to coordination and communication, leading to security lapses. BoPS will address these challenges and function as a single statutory body.
• It will focus on issues such as maritime terrorism, arms smuggling, drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal fishing, illegal migration, piracy, and cybersecurity threats.
• BoPS will also have a dedicated division focused on cybersecurity of port IT infrastructure. It will coordinate with national cybersecurity agencies. Being statutory under the Merchant Shipping Act will give BoPS the legal power to enforce global standards such as the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code).
  • The ISPS Code (International Ship and Port Facility Security Code) is part of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention, which was enacted in 2004 to strengthen maritime security.
• Under the ISPS, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has been designated as the accredited security organization to ensure standardized security plans, assessments, and training at all major and non-major ports. Security measures will be implemented in a graded manner, adopting a risk-based approach.

India's Maritime Development Journey

• India's maritime sector has made significant progress over the last decade. According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, cargo growth is projected to increase from 974 million tonnes (MMT) in 2014 to 1,594 MMT in 2025.
• Port capacity has increased by 57%, while ship turnaround time has halved to 48 hours, which is in line with global standards. Coastal shipping has grown by 118%, while cargo traffic through inland waterways is projected to increase from 18.1 MMT in 2014 to 145.5 MMT in 2025. Nine Indian ports are included in the World Bank's Container Port Performance Index.
• By 2025, India will have 12 Major Ports and 217 Minor Ports, of which 66 are cargo ports. Major Ports fall under the Union List and are administered by the Central Government. They are spread across nine states and three Union Territories.

Also Know This!

The country has 14 major ports, of which 12 are operational and 200 are non-major ports (minor ports).

• Major ports handle 53% of total maritime cargo traffic, while private and minor ports like Mundra and Sikka handle 19%. The Maritime India Vision 2030, launched in 2021, sets goals for port modernization, shipping promotion, inland waterways development, green shipping, and global leadership. The BoPS is aligned with this vision, particularly its goal of achieving best-in-class port infrastructure.
• Additionally, the Sagarmala Project, launched in 2015, has promoted port-led development, with investments of ₹5.5 lakh crore across 802 projects. This has led to increased employment generation and logistics efficiency.

Modernization of Port Laws

• These developments have led to the need for improved port safety, environmental protection, and ease of doing business. Therefore, the old Indian Ports Act, 1908, was replaced by the Indian Ports Act, 2025.
• Other laws include the Coastal Shipping Act, 2025; the Modernized Merchant Shipping Legislation, 2025; and the Bureau of Port Security, 2025. These laws encourage coastal trade, promote ownership of Indian vessels, simplify licensing, and implement environmentally friendly maritime transport through a risk-based approach.

Criticisms and Challenges

• The new laws give the central government greater authority over minor or non-major (state-owned) ports, which some coastal states have termed the "silent cost of maritime federalism."
• The Indian Ports Act grants broad powers of entry and inspection to port officials, conservators, and health officials, but does not explicitly specify judicial and procedural safeguards. These criticisms are primarily directed at the Bills, not the BoPS.
• Furthermore, increasing cyber threats pose a challenge to the security of digital infrastructure.

Conclusion

The establishment of the BoPS is an important step towards strengthening India's maritime security, ensuring coordination, efficiency, and global standards. It will help achieve the goals of the Maritime India Vision 2030 and Developed India 2047. However, federal balance, judicial security, and cyber resilience need to be strengthened.