Captain Himadri Das
Senior Fellow
National Maritime FoundationAreas of Research
- Coastal and offshore security
- Maritime terrorism
- Piracy and armed robbery
- Maritime Domain Awareness/ Information Sharing
- Maritime Security
- Maritime Security Law
- Maritime Security Governance
Experience
Captain Himadri Das graduated from the Naval Academy, Goa and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 July 1994. He is a Navigation and Direction (ND) specialist and has served onboard Indian Navy ships as Navigating Officer and with Indian Naval Air Squadron 300 as Direction Officer. The officer has also held instructional tenures at the Naval Academy, Navigation and Direction (ND) School, and as Staff Officer (ND) at Local Work Up Team (West). He has served at the Maritime Doctrine and Concept Centre (MDCC) of the Indian Navy and has been closely associated with the doctrinal development programme of the Indian Navy having steered as the lead author/ editor/ contributor to several doctrinal publications at the strategic, operational and tactical levels on a range of subjects, including the apex-level strategy document: Ensuring Secure Seas: Indian Maritime Security Strategy. Prior to joining NMF, he served at the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Navy) from April 2013 to August 2020. He is the author of two books published by the NMF: Coastal Security: Policy Imperatives for India (2019) and Coastal Security Dimensions of Maritime Security (2022).
Education
- Pursuing PhD (Defence and Strategic Studies) from Naval War College (Goa)/ Mumbai University, Mumbai. Thesis titled ‘Maritime Security Governance in India: Imperatives for Reform’
- MPhil in Defence and National Security Studies from Panjab University, Chandigarh. Dissertation titled ‘Strengthening Coastal Security of India: Policy Imperatives’
- MA (International Relations) from Annamalai University/ UGC National Eligibility Test (International and Area Studies)
- MSc (Nautical Science & Tactical Operations) from Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT)
- Post Graduate Diploma in Advanced Maritime Laws from NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad
- Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (Human Resource Management) from Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning
- Diploma in Cyber Law from Asian School of Cyber Laws & Government Law College, Mumbai
- BSc (Special) from Naval Academy (Goa)/ Goa University
Presentations
- “Legal Aspects of Coastal Security and Anti-Piracy” at Maritime Warfare Centre (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018).
- “Coastal Security” at the GeoIntelligence Asia 2016 Conference organised by Geospatial Media + Communication at India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida (2016).
- “Legal Framework for Maritime Security in India: Challenges for Indian Navy” at the Navigation and Operations Seminar (NAVOPS), Navigation and Direction School, Kochi (2016).
- “Protecting Ships Against Pirates and Stand-off Attacks” at the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS)-India Military Review (IMR) Seminar on ‘Force Protection India’ at DRDO Bhawan/ Maneckshaw Centre, New Delhi (2016, 2017, 2018).
- “Maritime Law and Challenges for a Commander at Sea” at Maritime Warfare Centre, Kochi (2017).
- “Maritime Security Governance for Coastal Security” at Gujarat National Law University (GNLU)-Gujarat Naval Area Seminar on ‘Coastal Security/ Port Security/ Marine Environment Protection/ Illegal Unregulated and Unrestricted Fishing’, GNLU, Gandhinagar (2018).
- “Maritime Terrorism and the Legal Framework” at the Maritime Warfare Centre (Kochi)-National Maritime Foundation Diamond Jubilee Seminar on ‘Maritime Law – Evolving Perspectives in Operations’, Maritime Warfare Centre, Kochi (2018).
- “Workshop on Maritime Security Law” at Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC), Gurugram (2019).
- “Protecting Naval Assets against Attacks” at the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS)-Indian Military Review Seminar on ‘Force Protection India 2019’ at Maneckshaw Centre, New Delhi (2019).
- “Maritime Governance and Challenges: A Perspective from India” at Maritime Information Sharing Workshop (MISW), Indian Ocean Region-Information Fusion Centre (IFC-IOR), Gurugram (2019).
- “Maritime Security Governance and Reform: A Perspective on India” at Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), KK Birla Campus, Goa (2019).
- “Coastal Security” at Round Table Discussion (RTD) on Coastal Security at National Maritime Foundation (2019).
- “Coastal Security: A Perspective from India” at the Inaugural NMF-International Institute for Migration and Security Research (IIMSR) dialogue on ‘Maritime Security Challenges: Sharing Perspectives’, National Maritime Foundation (2019).
- “Peacetime Maritime Security Operations: The Legal Conundrum” at the Indian Navy Law Seminar on Integrating Maritime Law in Maritime Military Missions, Maritime Warfare Centre, Mumbai, (2019).
- “Coastal Security and Defence: Challenges and Prospects” to the Naval Higher Command Course, Naval War College, Goa (2020).
- “India’s Coastal Security Conundrum” at the Institute of Contemporary Studies Bangalore (ICSB), the Chennai Centre for China Studies (C3S) and the Press Institute of India (PII) virtual conference titled “Deciphering China: The Maritime Context (2020)”
- “Threats & Trends in Port and National Infrastructure Security” at the 2nd NMF-International Institute for Migration and Security Research (IIMSR) dialogue (online) on 23 February 2021.
- “Regional Guidelines for Principal Maritime Security Agencies.” at the 3rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Workshop on UNCLOS and other other International Instruments (online) on 02 June 2021.
- “Policy and Org Structures for Coastal Sec & Measures to Improve Them” to an Integrated Analysis Group (IAG) at the National Defence College on 27 September 2021
- “Coastal Security and Defence: Challenges and Prospects” to the Naval Higher Command Course, Naval War College, Goa (online) on 03 November 2021.
- “Resource and Information Sharing.” at the 5th EAS Conference on Maritime Security on 23 November 2021 (online).
- “Introduction to Operational Art” to the Naval Higher Command Course, Naval War College, Goa on 29 November 2021.
- “Indian Ocean Governance and Maritime Security: Addressing Gaps in Maritime Enforcement.” at the 3rd India-European Union Maritime Security Workshop on 02 December 2021 (online).
- Respondent for ‘Session I: Legal frameworks’ at the ARF Workshop on Law of the Sea and Fisheries on 07 December 2021 (online).
- “Conclusions drawn from NMF – CRIMARIO Webinar on “Synergising Maritime Domain Awareness in the IOR: The Prevailing State of Play” held on 16 June 2021 and the IPRD 4th panel on “Cooperative Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) Strategies within the Indo-Pacific” of 28 October 2021″ at the Joint India-EU Maritime Domain Awareness and Interoperability Workshop on 08 Dec 2021 (online).
- “Maritime Crime Investigation: Leveraging the Maritime Security Sector.”at the First International Conference on Maritime and Marine Crime Investigations: Forensics at Sea organised by the International Institute for Forensic and Security Studies, Lucknow on 13 February 2022 (online).
- “Governing the Homeland Dimension of India’s Maritime Security: Coastal Security,” at the NMF workshop for International Liaison Officers at International Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) on 23 March 2022.
- “International Cooperation to Address Illicit Activities at Sea: An Indian Perspective’ at the EU Enhancing Security Cooperation With and In Asia (ESIWA)-Embassy of Greece in Indian-National Maritime Foundation (NMF) seminar on ‘Maritime Security and UNCLOS’ on 11 Apr 22 (online).
- “India’s coastal security: Threats and Challenges” at the ‘National Conference on India’s Maritime Security: Issues and Challenges’ organised by Mangalore University & Institute for Contemporary Studies Bangalore (ICSB) on 07 June 2022 (online).
- Briefing on “Maritime Domain Awareness [MDA] in the Indian Ocean Region” to officials of Vietnam Embassy on 19 July 2022 (Online).
- Talk on “Maritime Security and Law: Peacetime Operations at Sea” for Student Officers of the 78th Staff Course at the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) on 12 Aug 22 (Online).
- Talk on “Maritime Security and Law: Interplay of International and Domestic Laws’ for Student Officers of the 78th Staff Course at the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) on 12 Aug 22 (Online).
- “Strengthening India’s Coastal Security and Recommendations,” in a webinar on “India’s Non-Traditional Maritime Security Challenges” organised by United Service Institution of India (USI) on 29 Aug 22 (Hydrid format).
- Briefing at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on “Coastal Security: Global Best Practices,” on 05 Sep 22.
- Talks on “Maritime Security and Law” to post-graduate students of the Centre for Excellence in Marine Studies (CEMAS), Mumbai University on 07 November 2022, 12 November 2022, and 19 November 2022.
- “Homeland Dimensions of Maritime Security,” at the 43rd Annual Seminar of the Maritime History Society (MHS), ‘Exploring the Trajectory of India’s Sea Power,’ at Mumbai on 15 November 2022.
- Talk on “Operational Art” to the 35th Naval Higher Command Course (NHCC) at the Naval War College, Goa on 28 and 30 Aug 22.
- Presentation on “Law of the Sea and Peacetime Maritime Security Operations.” at a panel discussion on ‘UNCLOS@40: A Revisit,” organised by the School of Integrated Maritime and Coastal Security Studies (SICMSS), Rashtriya Raksha University, Gandhinagar (hybrid).
Coastal Security Ex Matla Abhiyaan
NE INDIA BROADCAST
European External Action Service
AFP
UNI
Image Credits- PRO Defence Gujarat Twitter handle- The Indian Coast Guard and Gujarat Anti Terrorism Squad apprehended a Pakistani boat with 77 kg of heroine worth 400 crores, on 20 December 2021. 
Image Credits - Times of India
Indian Navy Commandos during Sea Vigil 21
Photo Credits- Sajith Gopal
