Centre to Establish Bureau of Port Security on Lines of BCAS
Centre to Set Up Bureau of Port Security to Strengthen Safety of Ships and Ports: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday chaired a high-level review meeting on the formation of a dedicated Bureau of Port Security (BOPS), aimed at strengthening the security framework of India’s ports and maritime infrastructure.
During the meeting, Shah emphasized the need for a robust, systematic, and risk-based security mechanism for ports across the country. He directed that security measures should be designed after carefully assessing factors such as a port’s business capacity, geographical location, and associated risk parameters. The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the Union Minister of Civil Aviation were also present at the meeting.
The Bureau of Port Security will be established as a statutory body under Section 13 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025. It will function under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and will be responsible for regulatory oversight, inspection, and enforcement related to the safety and security of ships and port facilities.
BOPS will be headed by a Director General, a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Pay Level-15, and will be structured on the lines of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). During the one-year transition period, the Director General of Shipping (DGS/DGMA) will act as the Director General of BOPS.
A key mandate of the Bureau will be the collection, analysis, and sharing of security-related intelligence, with special emphasis on cyber security. A dedicated cyber division will be established to safeguard port IT systems and digital infrastructure from emerging threats.
To further strengthen port security, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has been designated as the Recognized Security Organization (RSO) for port facilities. CISF will conduct security assessments, prepare port security plans, and oversee their implementation.
The CISF will also be responsible for training and capacity building of private security agencies deployed at ports. Only licensed private security agencies will be permitted to operate, and a certification and regulatory framework will be put in place to ensure compliance with prescribed security standards.
The meeting also noted that insights and best practices developed under the maritime security framework would be leveraged to further enhance aviation security systems in the country.
The establishment of BOPS marks a significant step towards strengthening India’s maritime security architecture in line with evolving global and technological challenges.
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