1. Hydrographic applications in marine coastal development and environmental preservation, is a growth area the world over. According to a UN study, approximately 50% of coastal states have no hydrographic capability. Another 25% have only limited capabilities. Only the remaining 25% including India have adequate hydrographic capabilities. There is, therefore, immense scope for international co-operation in hydrography, particularly so, in Asia and Africa, where 36% and 64% of the waters respectively, are yet to be surveyed systematically. The Indian Naval Hydrographic Department (INHD) possesses wide experience with a long-standing tradition of professionalism, state of the art equipment, modern infrastructure and trained personnel. The INHD has already assisted a number of countries in the littoral region on specific project surveys under bilateral mechanisms. The areas in which the department can extend assistance and co-operations are: –
    1. Conduct of Hydrographic, Oceanographic and Coastal Zone Regulation Plan surveys.
    2. Training in hydrography (under technical assistance and self-financing scheme)
    3. Setting up of hydrographic infrastructure.
    4. Exchange of personnel.
    5. Production of Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) as per IMO/IHO approved formats / specifications.
    6. EEZ/Continental Shelf surveys for delineation of maritime areas under the provisions of United Nations Conventions on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS).
  2. The Indian Survey ships in the past have carried out Hydrographic surveys for Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Maldives, Oman, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Tanzania.
  3. Training: The National Institute Hydrography (NIH) at Goa is under the professional control of the Chief Hydrographer and has been classified as the Regional Hydrographic Training Centre for Africa, Persian Gulf and South East Asian region. The school has already trained over 500 trainees from abroad till now, these include both service and civilian personnel from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Seychelles, Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives, Kenya, Nigeria, Oman, Iran, Mauritius, Indonesia, Singapore, Tanzania, Sudan, Iraq, Iran, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Australia, Fiji, Mozambique and Philippines. The Long ‘H’ and Basic ‘H’ course conducted by the school have been certified as Cat A and Cat B courses, respectively, by the IHO/FIG/ICA Advisory Board on the Standards of Competence for Hydrographic Surveyors. The certification was renewed in 2013 for a further period of 06 years under 11th Edition of the Standards.
  4. The NIH has three modern survey motor launches fitted with the latest generation survey equipment suite to cater for the practical training and giving the under trainees the most comprehensive hands on experience. The technological advancements in the field of hydrography are explained and demonstrated to the trainees with the help of various modern acoustic U/W sensors, high precision position fixing systems, automated data logging systems and the numerous other conventional and contemporary survey equipment. In addition there are state of the art simulators for Automated Data Logging Systems and Multibeam Echo Sounders. The Institute also has an impressive array of hydrographic software for acquisition and processing of survey data. Besides the equipment and instruments the school is well supported by a modern laboratory, a computer bay equipped with a training LAN, a well equipped Chart Drawing Room, a modern auditorium, class rooms, a well stocked library and a fleet of vehicles for field survey requirements.
  5. The hydrographic cooperation has progressed at differing pace with various countries and India has signed MOUs with the following countries so far:-
S. No.CountryDate of MOUEffective
1Mauritius24 October 2005Extended till 2020
2Tanzania19 June 2015For five years
3Seychelles15 March 2015For five years