Mumbai: The 46th meeting of the Regional Contingency Committee (West) was held in Mumbai on June 20 under the chairmanship of Vice Adm Ajay Kochhar, Chief of Staff, HQ Western Naval Command.

The Committee meets every six months to review the various security measures and contingency plans for the offshore platforms located off the West coast of India. The Committee also co-ordinates the multi-agency responses to contingencies, both natural and man-made, on the offshore platforms. During the current meeting special emphasis was accorded to monsoon preparedness to enable swift and effective response in case of a natural calamity.

A number of agencies, such as Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, Indian Coast Guard, ONGC, Customs, Police and other State and Central agencies participated in the meeting. Indian Navy is the lead agency for all issues relating to maritime security including coastal security and offshore security.