The Government of India has designated the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) as the Recognized Security Organization for ports under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. For exam preparation, the point is important because it links port security, maritime trade, internal security and regulatory design. The Ministry of Home Affairs clarified in a Lok Sabha answer that the Directorate General of Shipping under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways remains the designated authority for regulation of ship and port facility security. That authority is linked to the Central Government notification under Section 7 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958. Therefore, CISF should not be understood as the regulatory authority; its role is that of a Recognized Security Organization within the ISPS framework.
The ISPS Code is an international framework for the security of ships and port facilities. In this context, CISF's role connects with port security assessments, security plans and standardized security arrangements. PIB states that CISF has been designated as a Recognised Security Organisation for port facilities with responsibility for undertaking security assessments and preparing port security plans. This can support more uniform procedures, better coordination and risk-based preparedness in port security.
For RAS and UPSC prelims, the core takeaway is the distinction between institution and function: DG Shipping is the designated regulatory authority, while CISF is the Recognized Security Organization. In mains, the topic can be linked with maritime security, critical infrastructure protection, trade security and internal security reforms. For static GK, remember the full form Central Industrial Security Force and the connection of the ISPS Code with ship and port facility security.