On January 14, 2026, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) intercepted a Pakistani fishing boat, named Al-Madina, operating within Indian waters near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Gujarat. The vessel was detected during a routine patrol operation.

According to Gujarat Defence PRO Wing Commander Abhishek Kumar Tiwari, the ICG ship sighted the Pakistani fishing boat inside Indian waters. When challenged, the boat attempted to flee towards Pakistani waters. However, the ICG ship successfully intercepted and boarded the vessel. Nine crew members were found on board.

The apprehended vessel is being towed to Porbandar for a thorough search and joint interrogation of the crew by multiple agencies. This process will involve several security agencies working together to determine the circumstances of the incursion. Investigators will conduct a detailed inspection of the boat to check for any contraband, sophisticated communication equipment, or GPS logs that might reveal the vessel's true path. Such inspections are standard protocol to ensure that the boat was not being used for activities beyond fishing, such as smuggling or reconnaissance.

The Indian Coast Guard emphasized that such operations are part of ongoing efforts to secure the country's maritime boundaries through relentless vigilance and law enforcement.

This is not an isolated incident. In December of last year, the Indian Coast Guard apprehended 11 Pakistani fishermen after their boat, Al Wali, was found inside Indian waters near Jakhau without permission. The fishermen were intercepted on December 10 inside the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone and were brought to Jakhau Port along with the vessel for further investigation. In 2022, the ICG had also apprehended a Pakistani fishing boat with ten crew members in Indian waters in the Arabian Sea off the Gujarat coast.