Defence Minister A K Antony on Wednesday said the government attached highest priority to coastal defence, including the island territories, and asked the Navy to expedite acquiring assets and implementing security measures approved after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. He was addressing the Navy Commanders at their four-day biannual conference in New Delhi. He said the government is equipping both Navy and the Coast Guard for coastal surveillance and patrol both in terms of assets and manpower. <br/><br/>Mr. Antony said that after the Mumbai attacks, the government had entrusted the overall responsibility of coastal security to the Navy and had approved acquisition of ships, boats, aircraft, and helicopters under fast track. <br/><br/>This he said is apart from creating a radar network along the 7,500-km-long coastline and raising of the Sagar Prahari Bal by the Navy as a specialist force for the purpose. The Defence Minister said the government was fully committed to the modernisation of the Navy and funds would not be allowed to become a constraint in this regard. <br/><br/>Referring to the threat posed by piracy, especially off the coast of Somalia, he said it continued to be a major concern as piracy affected the security and economy of the entire region. His discussion with the Sultan of Oman and other functionaries of the Gulf country during his recent two-day visit gave new hints on piracy. He added that these hints should be pursued seriously.<br/><br/>Regarding shipbuilding efforts, Antony said the recent commissioning of the first indigenous stealth frigate, INS Shivalik, in Mumbai last month is a welcome development, and called for adherence to time line and quality standards tomeet indigenisation requirements. He made it clear that the efforts to modernise the Navy through indigenisation will proceed at the desired pace only if the shipyards embrace modern ideas and technology. This will enable the shipyards to produce the best quality ships in a shorter time frame and at competitive costs.