The Fourth Type Of Army - Reveda Bhatt

We’ve all heard about the three forces - Air Force, guarding via sky. Navy, protecting through waters and Army, defending our land.

But did you know there’s a fourth?

Yeah, there is! It’s the COASTGUARD which makes up the fourth force, though you may think that as it is related to waters, it might come under Navy; no, it’s different.

I had no idea until this summer when we visited South India. On the internet, we were going through the places we could visit when my father told us that we’d visit the Indian Coastguard cruise; I, having no damn clue about what Coastguard is, just jumped, excited, hearing the word ‘cruise.’ The day soon arrived, and at noon, we were on the ship with its captain; well, the ship was docked, so it didn’t sail, but being on board a vessel itself is different, so I didn’t mind about the sailing part. The ship was ICGS RANI ABBAKKA, a patrolling ship of the Indian Coastguard.

We entered the ship with its captain, saw all its interior mechanisms, and came to know its functions and how it goes for patrolling all around India’s coastline, we had a conversation with its captain in their meeting room, and that’s when he told and explained to us that they make up the fourth force of our country, though not quite well known. Still, they play an essential role in our security too!

India has a coastline of about 7500 kilometres, which is mainly guarded by them, the ship we went on sets out to check all’s fine and that nobody’s trying to attack our coastline.

So, basically, people, whatever might happen, and whatever we may do, we need four of them to keep us safe, they risk their lives for us, but there’s one thing they demand: your belief in them!

Reveda Bhatt 
Grade 9
The Aryan School