IB had warned the ISI was using these as training camps for its operatives who could attack Maharashtra

The Indian Navy has a thousand reasons to be embarrassed.

Early findings in the Mumbai terror attack indicate that the Indian Navy slipped up in its vigil in the 1,000 odd tiny islands along the 600 km Western Coastline.

The Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Research and Analysis Wing had warned that Pakistan's ISI was using the inhabited islands in the Arabian Sea as its base and that the security there needed to be spruced up by the Navy and Coast Guard.

The IB, in a report to the Home Ministry, had clearly warned that the ISI was actively using the small inhabited islands to launch anti-India operations.

In a confidential report, the IB had warned that terrorists could use the islands to enter Maharashtra and Gujarat and create havoc.

"This is what happened. The Navy will find it difficult to explain how the waters were not adequately protected despite regular warnings," admitted a defence ministry official.

According to sources, the Navy has admitted to gaps in its capability to provide adequate security along the coastal areas. Though the Coast Guards are responsible for the safety of artificial islands, offshore installations and other structures in Indian maritime zones, it's the overall responsibility of the Indian Navy to protect the maritime interests of the country.

According to Navy spokesperson Cdr Nirad K Sinha, there were gaps and the force was not able to defend the entire coastline. "We admit that there are gaps," he said, adding that Vice-admiral JS Bedi, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief  of Western Naval Command, was looking at the possible route taken by the terrorists.

"Coastline defence is divided into three categories. First is protected by the coastal police, then comes Coast Guards and then the Navy. It's the failure of the entire defence mechanism," admitted a senior Home Ministry official.

There are around 1,200 islands, and according to the IB report, there are inadequate number of police stations along the coastline. "After the IB report was filed, the Home Ministry sanctioned Rs 500 crore to beef up the coastal police stations and buy new patrol boats," an official said.
According to sources, the ISI was training militants at various islands and had established bases there.

The mother ship
MV Alpha, the ship suspected to have carried the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks, was on Thursday found 112 km from Mumbai by the Coast Guard.