Defence Minister A K Antony on Tuesday said coastal security has become the “immediate agenda” of the government in view of pirate attacks on ships and patrolling has been intensified along vulnerable areas by the Navy and Coast Guard.

“In earlier days, we considered our coastal region more secure. But that is history. Fourteen ships have been attacked by pirates off Lakshadweep. Such attacks will affect the peace and security of the nation. Coastal security has now become the immediate agenda of the government,” he said.

Antony was speaking after laying the foundation stone for the Rs 600 crore mega National Institute for Research and Development in Defence Shipbuilding (NIRDESH) at nearby Chaliyam.

He said NIRDESH will be the fifth defence project in Kerala. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has already started a unit in Kasargod, Bharath Earth Movers Limited has one in Palakkad.

Bharat Electronics Limited has a factory at Kochi and there is a Brahmos unit at Thiruvananthapuram, he said.

Antony asked politicians to forget party affiliations on the question of Kerala’s development.

“There should be total unity between the ruling and opposition parties in the matter of development of the state.”