Kochi | The Indian Navy on Friday held a security awareness campaign at Thoppumpady Harbour in Kochi as part of the ongoing Coastal Defence Exercise Sea Vigil-26, a spokesperson said.

The campaign sought to sensitise fishermen, boat operators and other maritime stakeholders to their role in coastal security, the spokesperson said in a statement.

Participants were asked to remain vigilant, follow established security procedures and promptly report suspicious activity or unusual movements in coastal waters.

The statement said coastal security was a shared responsibility that required close coordination between maritime security agencies and coastal communities.

The 2008 Mumbai terror attacks underscored the need for a robust coastal security framework and better coordination among the Navy, the Coast Guard and state agencies, the spokesperson said.

Since then, efforts have strengthened surveillance, information sharing, and response mechanisms along the coast, he added.

The campaign was part of the Coastal Security and Defence Readiness Evaluation phase of Sea Vigil-26 and aimed to reinforce the role of coastal communities as the "eyes and ears" of security agencies, the statement said.