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operational plan. Kudankulam nuclear power plant is situated in South most costal belt
of Tamil Nadu, India. Energy security is the most important factor for both countries and
possibilities of nuclear theft activities in future is another important factor pertinant to
the national security of both counties. The prominence of establishing of sea power in a
country like Sri Lanka is a salient requirement. ‘Development of civil and military maritime
capabilities in a country is a main approach to the success of operations’ was the argument
that the writer was attempting to build up in above paragraphs.

When focusing on above threats and challenges of the island, the lack of mutual
understanding between maritime affiliates can be identified. Further, the lack of Maritime
Domain Awareness was a critical area where the writer has observed upgrading is needed. In
Subsequent contents, the writer will be specifically focusing on the lapses in costal security
mechanism and requirement of national plan to achieve maritime domain awareness.

Collective Plan to Achieve Maritime Domain Awareness

We have to learn from the history. Joint operations conducted by tri forces were one
of the key factors of success to eradicate terrorism from Sri Lankan soil. With the existing
non-traditional security issues, this is the high time to implement a national strategy
for maritime security, combining all maritime components. To achieve this strategy, a
mechanism for maritime domain through collection, integration and dissemination of
surveillance data and intelligence is needed to be formulated. The writer will be focusing
on formulating a “Maritime Domain Awareness Centre” to work out above national plan.
This will enable operational commander to detect, deter and interdict adversaries. The
centre will be the core unit to collect all the data together and analyze to implement counter
strategies against threats.

The purpose of MDA is to facilitate timely and accurate decision-making. MDA
does not direct actions, but enables them to be done more quickly and with precision .
4

The writers proposing methods for effective MDA are as follows.

1. Information and surveillance data gathered from various sources of maritime
affiliates need to be channelled into ‘Maritime Domain Awareness Centre’.
(Gathering from human intelligence and surveillance equipment)

2. Gathered information is required to be analyzed via staff officers of
different security components. ( Working Staff of the centre needs to represent each
security component such as Navy, Army, Air Force, Police, Coast Guard, Customs,
Immigration and Emigration, Department of Fisheries etc. )

3. The staff officers are required to share information and data among the
security affiliates and decisions must be taken quickly and with precision.

4. Processed intelligence must be prioritized according to threat axis of the
4 National Plan to Achieve Maritime Domain Awareness, http://www.virginia.edu,2005,(accessed 16 December
2015).