India and Sri Lanka have signed a MoU for Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre.

Why in news?

• India and Sri Lanka have signed a MoU for the Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) to set up a state of the art MRCC in Colombo.
• MRCCs are part of an international network under the UN’s International Maritime Organisation to monitor the sea lanes with the objective of swift response to emergencies, such as vessels in distress, rescue and evacuation of people, and prevention of and containing environmental disasters such as oil spills etc.
• Each country is responsible for its own Search and Rescue Region.
• MRCC is co-ordinated by the Navy or Coast Guard in each country.
• In India, the Coast Guard is the co-ordinating agency.