The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is a branch of the Indian Armed Forces

Indian Armed Forces

The Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India. They consist of the Army, Navy and Air Force, supported by three paramilitary forces and various inter-service institutions such as the Strategic Forces Command.The President of India is...

. Its mission is the protection of India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

's maritime interests and maritime law enforcement with jurisdiction over both territorial and international waters.

ICG was formally established on 18th August 1978 as an armed force of the Union by the Coast Guard Act, 1978. It operates under the Department of Defence of the Union Ministry of Defence.

The Coast Guard works in close cooperation with the Indian Navy

Indian Navy

The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...

, Department of Fisheries

Ministry of Agriculture (India)

The Ministry of Agriculture, a branch of the Government of India, is the apex body for formulation and administration of the rules and regulations and laws relating to agriculture in India. The 3 broad areas of scope for the Ministry are agriculture, food processing and co-operation. The ministry...

, Department of Revenue

Ministry of Finance (India)

The Ministry of Finance is an important ministry within the Government of India. It concerns itself with taxation, financial legislation, financial institutions, capital markets, center and state finances, and the Union Budget....

 (Customs

Customs

Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...

) and the Central and State police forces.