India To Set Up Naval, Air Bases At Strategically-Located Agatti, Minicoy Islands In Lakshadweep

Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Lakshadweep, India is planning to establish new naval and air bases in Agatti and Minicoy Islands, strategically located in the Arabian Sea, to solidify the country's maritime footprint and enhance regional security.

The Lakshadweep and Minicoy islands sit on the nine degree channel, a crucial trade route carrying billions of dollars of commerce between the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

The Minicoy Islands are also just 524 kilometers from the Maldives.

To mark this major step, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will travel to Minicoy Islands aboard the INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant carrier task forces, comprising nearly 15 warships.

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The inauguration of the new naval base, INS Jatayu, in Minicoy islands is scheduled for 4-5 March, The Hindustan Times reported.

The Indian Navy will reportedly also hold the first phase of its Combined Commanders Conference onboard the carriers, traveling from Goa to Karwar to Minicoy Islands and finally to Kochi.

The second phase of the conference will follow on 6-7 March.

The Modi government reportedly plans to construct a new airstrip in Minicoy and upgrade the existing one in Agatti. These developments will facilitate the stationing of naval assets at INS Jatayu.

This aligns with the government's broader strategy to leverage its island territories for projecting power in the Indo-Pacific and bolstering regional maritime security.

India is already expanding its capabilities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with new facilities at Campbell Bay in Great Nicobar.

Meanwhile, the Lakshadweep and Minicoy projects will not only safeguard commercial shipping but also generate infrastructure upgrades and potentially promote tourism in the island territory.

The strategic positioning of both Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep and Minicoy Islands allows India to protect maritime trade routes and counter the growing presence of the Chinese Navy and its allies in the Indian Ocean.

The Nine Degree Channel, passing between Lakshadweep and Minicoy, and the Ten Degree Channel, near the Andamans and Nicobar, serve as major commercial routes from the Suez Canal and Persian Gulf to Southeast Asia.

Additionally, India holds influence over the Sunda and Lombok Straits in Indonesia.

The combined task forces of INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant, accompanied by destroyers, frigates, and submarines, will create a powerful maritime force projection during their journey to Minicoy.

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