In a strategic maneuver, India unveiled plans for the establishment of a novel maritime outpost along its southwestern shores, in close proximity to the Maldives, against the backdrop of escalating tensions between Delhi and the island nation. The Indian Navy, in an official statement on Saturday, articulated its intent to construct a facility named INS Jatayu on Minicoy, the southernmost islet within the Lakshadweep archipelago.
Situated approximately 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of the Maldives, India’s Lakshadweep islands will be the stage for this new development. A more intricate blueprint of this initiative is slated for release this Wednesday. The navy emphasized that this base is designed to bolster operational scope, particularly in the domains of anti-piracy and anti-narcotics endeavors within the Western Arabian Sea. Additionally, it aims to fortify the Indian Navy’s role as the primary responder in the region and enhance connectivity with the mainland.
This strategic move aligns with India’s overarching policy to progressively fortify security infrastructure on the strategically significant islands. Notably, India already maintains a presence in the Lakshadweeps with INS Dweeprakshak on Kavaratti. The brewing tensions between India and the Maldives have been underscored since the ascension of Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu to power last year.
Following his assumption of office, Muizzu opted to visit China before India, making a statement about Maldives’ modest size not granting a license for intimidation. This was a thinly veiled response to calls on Indian social media urging tourists to boycott the Maldives, triggered by derogatory remarks made by three Maldives deputy ministers about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Subsequently, these ministers faced suspension.
In a diplomatic twist, Muizzu requested India to substitute military personnel managing humanitarian service aircraft in the Maldives with civilian technical staff. The approximate count of 75 Indian military personnel stationed in the Maldives is engaged in diverse activities, including the transportation of patients from remote islands and maritime rescues.