In a significant step towards bolstering coastal security, the Maharashtra Police, in partnership with the Indian Navy and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, has introduced the Marine Domain Awareness (MDA) mobile application. This app is designed to monitor suspicious vessels along Maharashtra's 877-km coastline, from Palghar to Sindhudurg. The initiative addresses critical gaps in the existing surveillance system, which primarily relies on the Automatic Identification System (AIS) that is effective for large commercial ships but often overlooks smaller vessels like fishing and passenger boats. With approximately 32,000 boats operating in the region, including 28,000 fishing vessels, the MDA app will be distributed to fishermen and passenger boat operators for onboard use. During its pilot phase, the app was tested on 100 fishing boats and demonstrated high effectiveness in tracking movement patterns. A central control room at the Mahim Sagari Police Station will oversee vessel activity, with plans for additional control rooms across seven coastal districts to enable real-time monitoring and rapid emergency response. Inspector General of Police Rajiv Jain stated that the system would greatly enhance surveillance capabilities. Once fully implemented, registered Indian vessels will transmit identifiable “green” signals, while unidentified vessels will trigger a “red” alert for interception. This initiative not only aims to prevent potential security threats but also encourages community participation by training fishermen to recognize and report suspicious activities.