India’s Ocean Territories (Andaman Nicobar & Lakshadweep)

[chetak]

cheeni MOU didn't work or what............

[chetak]

Once 'India' was made to dance to 'her' tunes. 'Bharat' refuses to.

GREAT NICOBAR PROJECT— STRATEGICALLY IMP TO BOOST BHARAT'S DEFENCE.

Obviously, Sonia Ghandy had to oppose it. This time in name of Environment. Now big egg on Ghandys Face!

NGT CLEARS ₹80000 CRORE PROJECT

“No good ground to interfere,” as there are “adequate safeguards” in the project’s environmental clearance:- NGT rules while noting it's Strategic Importance.

Project scale and components:
- 166 sq km project area
- Around 130 sq km forest diversion
- Transhipment port and integrated township
- Dual use civil military airport
- 450 MVA gas and solar power plant

This isn’t just an infra project.
It’s runway + port + power = Bharat's forward pivot in the Indian Ocean.

Ghandys tried their best to stop it for the best reason known to them. Sonia Ghandy even 'wrote' some stupid article why it must not be allowed to proceed. Today Ghandys & their Pvt Ltd Company called CONgress fall flat on face.

Ghandys losing grip on their Ecosystem & that's welcome sign for Bharat.

[VinodTK]

India to expand military presence on Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Timeline revealed

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands administrator, Admiral DK Joshi, on Friday laid out the timeline for a new airport on the island chain, with reports suggesting it is being constructed to counter China’s influence in the Indian Ocean.

According to a Bloomberg report, it will serve as a new military airport in the Island chain to the southeast of the mainland at a cost of ₹15,000 crore ($1.6 billion). The project will simultaneously extend the runways of two existing military airstrips, a buildup aimed at countering China’s expanding presence in the Indian Ocean, the report added.

The new airport, which will also be used for tourism, will be constructed on Great Nicobar Island, the southernmost part of the archipelago, about 40 nautical miles from the Malacca Strait, one of the world’s busiest maritime chokepoints.

The project is located in an ecologically sensitive region.

“We expect the first flights to start operating in around three years' time,” Admiral Joshi said in New Delhi on Friday

The former Indian Navy chief also added that the buildup will be “steered” by the defence ministry. He was speaking at the United Services Institution of India, a defence ministry-backed think tank.

The new airfield will have two runways and can sustain large aircraft, including civilian flights, he said.

The government approval

HT had reported earlier in February that the government had invited bids for marine geotechnical investigation work for a greenfield international airport at Chingenh on Great Nicobar Island to be developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

Chingenh is one of the so-called pre-tsunami villages, from which tribals were relocated to various camps after the 2004 tsunami; they have since been seeking permission to return, but the administration hasn’t granted it.

The case went to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which ruled that adequate safeguards have been provided in the conditions for the environmental clearance (EC) to the Great Nicobar Holistic Development Project, underlining that there is no good ground for it to interfere.

The strategic importance

Roughly a third of global trade — and the bulk of China’s energy imports — passes through the Malacca Strait, which has become a strategic fulcrum as Beijing vies for influence in the Indo-Pacific. Its importance gives India a strong incentive to monitor, and potentially exert control over, shipping traffic between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.

Expanding military infrastructure would enhance India’s ability to track Chinese naval movements and safeguard undersea communication cables. For the US, Japan and Australia, the effort highlights India’s role as a regional bulwark against China.

An Indian military installation on the northernmost islet will be refurbished, with its runway extended to accommodate larger aircraft. Admiral DK Joshi revealed that two other airfields in the archipelago, including the one in the island capital, Sri Vijaya Puram, formerly Port Blair, will undergo similar upgrades.

According to Bloomberg, India operates a large number of US-made long-range maritime surveillance aircraft and has recently approved the purchase of six additional planes. The aircraft will be able to operate from these facilities.

From HindustanTimes.com

[VinodTK]

Andaman and Nicobar Command Conducts Large-Scale Joint Military Exercise ‘Dweep Shakti 2026’

Sri Vijaya Puram, March 29: Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) conducted a large-scale joint military exercise, Exercise Dweep Shakti 2026, involving assets from the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force and Indian Coast Guard, along with participation of troops and formations from across the country. The exercise was aimed at fine-tuning multi-domain joint warfighting capabilities and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), while enhancing interoperability and operational synergy among participating forces.

The exercise witnessed participation of elements from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard Components of ANC along with Special Forces and accretion forces from all three services. A wide spectrum of multi-domain operations were undertaken across land, sea and air domains, aimed at validating joint operational capabilities in a realistic and dynamic environment. Deployment of Army, Navy and Air assets across the islands, along with activation of key operational and support mechanisms in coordination with local Civil Administration of A&N, formed a vital component of the exercise.

Exercise Dweep Shakti 2026 demonstrated a high level of operational preparedness and robust military capability of the Indian Armed Forces in safeguarding India’s maritime interests and ensuring security of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The exercise showcased professionalism, coordination and synergy among various components of ANC and participating formations while executing complex joint operations in a dynamic environment.

Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar, PVSM, AVSM, NM, Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN), witnessed the exercise and commended participating troops from various formations for their professionalism and successful conduct of operations. Such exercises continue to strengthen defence preparedness while reinforcing commitment towards maintaining peace and security in the region.

[sanjaykumar]

I don’t think it’s lost on anybody that India has the wherewithal to choke the Hormuz straits as well. From stand-off distances.

[Manish_P]

Once 'India' was made to dance to 'her' tunes. 'Bharat' refuses to.

GREAT NICOBAR PROJECT— STRATEGICALLY IMP TO BOOST BHARAT'S DEFENCE.
...

Chetak sir, I think we should thank our stars that the original dynamic duo didn't give off A&N to Burma and/or Indoneasia.. saying something like 'there is not a drop of fresh water there...'