INS Jatayu: Why India Has Built A Naval Base On Its Island Closest To Maldives

The new naval base in Lakshadweep, INS Jatayu, will be a shot in the arm for the Indian Navy.

The base is to be inaugurated by Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar today, 6 March, marking the second base in the Lakshadweep islands after INS Dweeprakshak at Kavaratti Island.

Initially, a Naval Detachment on the Minicoy Islands, established in the early 1960s and equipped solely with administrative and medical facilities, it has now been fully developed into a fully-fledged base through this inauguration.

Situated at the southernmost tip of Lakshadweep, INS Jatayu significantly extends the navy's operational reach into the Arabian Sea and the increasingly volatile Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Strategically, the base is located just 125 kilometres from the Maldives, 440 kilometres from Kochi, and directly oversees the vital sea lines of communication (SLOCs) that traverse between Lakshadweep and Minicoy (nine-degree channel), a crucial route for a significant portion of global trade, including the transit of crude oil from the Middle East to Southeast Asia.

The establishment of INS Jatayu will also bolster the navy's capacity to monitor Chinese naval movements in the region.

When integrated with India's bases in the Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) Islands and the strategic Malacca Straits chokepoint, it can potentially disrupt Chinese supply lines in the event of hostilities in the Himalayas.

Notably, close to 80 per cent of Chinese trade passes through the Malacca Strait's.

This is especially significant in light of the current events in the Maldives, with its turn towards China, apart from the drone and missile attacks on commercial shipping by the Houthis' militia of Yemen in retaliation to the Israel-Hamas war.

Maldives, just two days ago, on Monday (4 March), signed a military pact with China where the world's second-largest economy will provide the tiny archipelago free military assistance, effectively replacing New Delhi as its primary security partner. This comes just days after India replaced its first batch of uniformed soldiers, who operated military equipment donated to the Maldives, with technical staff.

Removing uniformed Indian operators from the Maldives was one of the main demands of Maldivian President Mohammed Muizzu, who won the election on the back of the 'India Out' campaign.

Furthermore, just weeks ago, a Chinese spy vessel also docked in Male for rest and replenishment.

With Sri Lanka imposing a moratorium on berthing Chinese spy vessels at its ports for one year, and the Maldives signing the defence pact, it is likely that a significant number of Chinese spy vessels will dock at Male.

INS Jatayu, being close to the Maldives, will be able to monitor the movement of these Chinese vessels. Moreover, this base will also serve as a rest and replenishment base for the navy ships patrolling the region.

Notably, after the recent drone and missile attacks by the Yemeni Houthi militia on merchant shipping, the Indian Navy has increased the number of patrols in the region adjoining the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, apart from the Somali pirates that have also increased their attacks exploiting the gap created due to the diversion of international efforts to combat the Houthi menace.

In fact, in January, the Indian Navy stationed 10 military ships in the IOR, including multiple destroyers, frigates, and patrol ships, to provide support to civilian shipping.

This base will serve as a replenishment base for these vessels.

It can also serve as a focal point for combating narcotics and drug trafficking inside India originating from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

There are also plans to construct an airstrip at the base as well, with plans to operate even aircraft carriers in the future. The P-8I Poseidon long-range anti-submarine warfare and MQ-9Bs Sea Guardian drones, when flying from this planned airfield, will also enhance the navy's reach.

With opening of this base, India has a base in eastern Indian Ocean at A&N Islands, central Indian Ocean in INS Jatayu and western Indian Ocean in Agalega islands.