Amit Shah and Sarbananda Sonowal review progress on establishing Bureau of Port Security (BoPS)
Government review of the proposed Bureau of Port Security adds a dedicated institutional layer for port and ship security, with emphasis on trained private security, container scanning, and cyber security.
- The Bureau of Port Security is intended to unify regulation, inspection, security information-sharing, and cyber security for ports and ships.
- The proposed framework requires licensed private security agencies and CISF-trained personnel for deployment at ports.
- The review called for container scanning facilities at ports covered under the Bureau of Port Security framework.
What happened
The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, and the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, reviewed progress on establishing the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS). The proposed body is meant to strengthen security at ports and around ships, including inspection and information-sharing functions.
The government has placed the BoPS within a statutory framework under Section 13 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025. The Bureau will function under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and will be headed by a Director General.
A Prelims question can test the legal basis, parent ministry, and functions of the Bureau of Port Security. A Mains question can examine how India can strengthen coastal and port security through trained manpower, scanning infrastructure, inter-agency coordination, and cyber protection.
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