The Strategic Issues & International Relations Forum is a venue to discuss issues pertaining to India's security environment, her strategic outlook on global affairs and as well as the effect of international relations in the Indian Subcontinent. We request members to kindly stay within the mandate of this forum and keep their exchanges of views, on a civilised level, however vehemently any disagreement may be felt. All feedback regarding forum usage may be sent to the moderators using the Feedback Form or by clicking the Report Post Icon in any objectionable post for proper action. Please note that the views expressed by the Members and Moderators on these discussion boards are that of the individuals only and do not reflect the official policy or view of the Bharat-Rakshak.com Website. Copyright Violation is strictly prohibited and may result in revocation of your posting rights - please read the FAQ for full details. Users must also abide by the Forum Guidelines at all times.
“It is planned to connect Andaman & Nicobar Islands with mainland of the country through HVDC under-sea cables. The ±320 kV, 250 MW HVDC (VSC based) interconnection of 1,150 km through under-sea cable (capacity of cable: 500 MW) will be first of its kind in the country connecting Port Blair, Andaman, to Paradip, Odisha,” says the CEA document.
The project will take five years to do. In Phase-II, another 250 MW HVDC terminal would be added at both, and a cable is to be laid between Port Blair and Nicobar Islands.
The project is an idea that makes one wonder “whatever for”, because the demand for electricity in the Bay of Bengal islands is less than 100 MW today. Nor has it ever been said that the A&N islands could generate huge volumes of power that could be wheeled to the mainland.
Geopolitics The project therefore has a strong smell of geopolitics. A power transmission expert that businessline spoke to, who requested not to be named, mentioned two points as the basis of the project.
One, India is building a large deep draft (20 meters) International Container Transshipment Port at Galathea Bay, on Great Nicobar Island, with an investment of $ 5 billion. The port is an opportunity for India to keep its influence over a critical shipping route.
Second, the idea is perhaps to go further, from Nicobar Islands to Singapore. The Paradeep – Andamans link project was likely conceived against the backdrop of the collapse (but since revived) of the Sun Cable project—an ambitious project to build a 4,300-km undersea power transmission line between Australia and Singapore—for distribution in the ASEAN countries. In January 2023, it was reported that the project “collapsed under its own weight”. The distance between Great Nicobar and Singapore is only around 1,700 km. Can India step in to supply energy to ASEAN? (However, just last week Reutersreported that Singapore approved import of solar energy from Australia via undersea cable.
Linking the A&N islands to Singapore also ties-in well with the India-sponsored ‘one sun, one world, one grid’ (OSOWOG) initiative, which seeks to build a multi-country grid so that solar energy could be transmitted any time from regions where the sun is shining to regions where it is not.
The CEA document mentions this. “Under OSOWOG initiative, interconnection of Indian Electricity Grid with Singapore, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Maldives, etc. are under discussion,” it says.
The vessel did not match the characteristics of a local Indian boat, and it carried the Myanmar flag. The Indian Coast Guard shadowed the vessel until the early morning of Sunday.
The Indian Coast Guard today caught a Myanmarese fishing boat in the Andaman Sea, which was carrying 5,500 kg of Methamphetamine and a satellite phone, making it the biggest-ever drug haul by the Coast Guard in the maritime domain.
The Coast Guard's Dornier aircraft detected the boat 'Soe Wai Yan Htoo' during a reconnaissance sortie. The reconnaissance party found the boat's operations suspicious and informed the Joint Operation Centre (JOC), which deployed a Fast Patrol Vessel, ICG Ship Aruna Asaf Ali, to intercept the boat.
The vessel did not match the characteristics of a local Indian boat, and it carried the Myanmar flag. The Indian Coast Guard shadowed the vessel until the early morning of Sunday.
:
:
:
:
:
What Is The Great Nicobar Island Project That’s Awaiting Centre’s Final Clearance?
SRI VIJAYA PURAM (PORT BLAIR): The ambitious Great Nicobar Island (GNI) project at the southernmost end of Indian territory, barely 80 nautical miles from the northernmost island of Indonesia, is now awaiting final Cabinet clearance in coming months after all necessary environmental approvals are in place, highly placed sources have revealed.
These sources, closely monitoring the progress of the project now estimated to be worth ₹1 lakh crore to be spent in two phases, said after a prolonged delay, first steps in rolling out the project are likely to be taken once the Union Cabinet clears the proposal.
Strategic Positioning
The Great Nicobar Island, close to the Malacca Strait, is the main waterway connecting the Indian Ocean to the Pacific. It sits astride important international sea lanes of communications. It’s not far from the Sunda and Lombok Straits in the South China Sea that allows Chinese shipping to traverse between the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean.
The project includes four main components: developing an international container transshipment terminal (ICTT) at the Galathea Bay, a greenfield international airport, an integrated township and a 450 MVA gas and solar-based power plant on the island.
International Container Transshipment Terminal
The ICTT’s vision is to transform the island into a key participant in the regional as well as global maritime economy of cargo transshipment. It is in alignment with the Maritime India Vision 2030 and is one of the key projects under the Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
The first phase of the ICCT is likely to have a capacity of 4.4 million TEUs annually and will be complete within five years after contracts are awarded. The estimated cost of the first phase of the ICTT is about ₹20,000 crore. To be executed under the public-private partnership model, the proposed greenfield airport (with a peak capacity of 4000 passengers per hour) is also estimated to cost another ₹20,000 crore. In the second phase, the capacity of the ICTT is to be enhanced to 16.5 million TEUs. The eventual cost of the project will approximately turn out to be ₹100,000 crore, the sources added.
Lt Gen P R Shankar of Gunners Shot has a good overview on the Indian Ocean islands, including Maldives, Mauritius, Diego Garcia, Seychelles, etc.
Modiji's recent visit to Mauritius goes a long way to tighten India's grip of the IOR as China seeks to establish its influence there. Understanding these vital interests are crucial for gaining dominance, super power status and world leadership. India because of its geographic region, growing economy, trade, exercises with various nations, there is no choice but to be very vigilant and open about Indian intentions in the Indian Ocean Region. China has being playing in this region, with ports in Gwadar Pakistan, Djibouti in Africa, Hambantota in Sri Lanka, Kyaukphyu in Myanmar. Also China is wooing Maldives for a foothold there. The US is placed in Diego Garcia.
As India's Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) initiative completes a decade, its impact on the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has become more critical than ever. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, SAGAR was envisioned as a framework for regional cooperation, maritime security, and sustainable development in the Indian Ocean. Over the past ten years, India has deepened its partnerships with key island nations, particularly Mauritius and Seychelles, reinforcing its role as a security provider and development partner. In this week's Defence Mantra, Editor-in-Chief Nitin A. Gokhale and Neelanjana discuss a decade of SAGAR.
Nitin asserts that India’s strategic outreach in the Western Indian Ocean — through naval exercises, defence agreements, and infrastructure investments — has helped counterbalance China’s growing footprint. Beijing’s influence, driven by its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and control over key ports like Djibouti, Gwadar, and Hambantota, poses challenges to India’s maritime security. In response, India has signed defence pacts, developed naval facilities, and conducted Mission SAGAR humanitarian aid operations, showcasing its commitment to regional stability.
India's Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram has enhanced maritime domain awareness, aiding nations in tackling piracy, smuggling, and illegal fishing. The Colombo Security Conclave and Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) have also strengthened security cooperation among IOR nations.
With SAGAR entering its second decade, India faces a defining moment in shaping the Indo-Pacific narrative. Can India sustain its leadership in the Indian Ocean against increasing Chinese assertiveness? This conversation explores SAGAR’s evolution, its geopolitical stakes, and what lies ahead for India’s maritime strategy.
The Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC), a tri-service command, stands at the heart of India’s maritime strategy, serving as a crucial defence outpost in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Positioned near the Strait of Malacca, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, ANC plays a pivotal role in monitoring Chinese naval movements, securing trade routes, and strengthening India’s power projection. This week's Defence Mantra focuses on the strategic importance of this command.
As China expands its presence in the Indian Ocean through its ‘String of Pearls’ strategy—establishing ports and bases in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Myanmar, and Djibouti—India has responded by enhancing ANC’s military capabilities, Editor-in-Chief Nitin A Gokhale asserts. From surveillance drones and P-8I maritime patrol aircraft to expanded naval bases and strategic partnerships with Indo-Pacific allies, ANC is emerging as a key player in regional security.
The chat delves into the ANC’s role in countering China’s growing influence, its significance in India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine, and its future as a potential Maritime Theatre Command.
Nitin and Neelanjana discuss how India’s defence diplomacy—through joint military exercises, logistics agreements, and strategic collaborations with QUAD nations (U.S., Japan, Australia)—is shaping the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.
What does ANC’s evolution mean for India’s maritime dominance? How is it tackling China’s expanding footprint? And could it become a key hub for Indo-Pacific security cooperation?
Andaman & Nicobar Command. 'Arc Of Power' Episode 1| Rutland Beach Joint Service Amphibious Assault
India's Andaman Nicobar Command
In 'Arc of Power', Part I, we feature the Navy, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard in India's Andaman Nicobar Command (ANC). All four are in a joint exercise off and on the archipelago's Rutland Island. The exercise involves Indian Naval ships & Naval Marine Commandos (MARCOS) in combat free-fall para jumps and amphibious assault. As well as divers, Air Force Mi-17s in a strafing role, & Army BMPs & troops in an assault operation to capture the beach. A StratNews Global team of Amitabh P. Revi, Rohit Pandita and Vashisht Mattoo travels to Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly Port Blair). And then on board the Navy's INS Saryu to Rutland. Deepankar Varma provides in-depth animated graphics to explain the geographical and strategic significance of the island chain and the joint operational military command.
ANC: India's Strategic Springboard
This documentary explores the ANC's strategic depth, from remote islands to vital maritime choke-points. We are your eyes and ears to the command's vigilance, securing India's interests against rising regional challenges. Part I highlights a complex geopolitical landscape from Myanmar's Coco Islands to the Kyaukpyu and Sittwe ports, the proposed Thai Kra canal or road and rail link, the Sabang port in Indonesia, and Beijing's Malacca dilemma. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands extend India's maritime reach significantly. This allows for rapid deployment of tri-service assets enhancing response times to regional contingencies. The islands also act as India's first line of defence on its eastern maritime flank.
Sailing The Seas, Heart-In-Mouth
We travel on board the INS Saryu, our mother ship, from Sri Vijaya Puram to near Rutland Island and then in Landing Craft Assault (LCA) and Gemini boats to the beach to film the amphibious assault exercise. In our series 'Arc of Power', watch Episode I from the tri-service fortress that protects and projects India's vital interests. Don't miss this exclusive from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Command based there. The ANC acts as a strategic force multiplier. It enables India to extend its influence and project power far beyond the mainland. Thus bolstering Bharat's position as a key maritime power in the Indo-Pacific.
We are developing India's Andaman Nicobar Command into a strategic outpost as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) calls it," Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan, the CINCAN says. In 'The Arc Of Power' series Part III, we speak to the Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) on board the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Saryu. In Sri Vijaya Puram, known as Port Blair till September 2014, he points out India " wants to be seen as the preferred security partner in this particular region. We have also got a significant role as far as our economic zone is concerned. Almost 30% of India's coastal line is here in these islands. We also have 30% of the exclusive economic zone of India. Protecting that is a huge challenge. And we have a lot of vested interests, who are looking at this. So all this combined makes Andaman and Nicobar a significant territory".
"The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) is India's first island chain and the final outpost of our defensive strategy". Rear Admiral Sudarshan Y. Shrikhande (Retd), one of the country's foremost maritime analysts and a former Assistant Chief of Naval Staff, Intelligence says. In 'The Arc of Power', Episode II, he adds, "they're like forts across the Andaman Sea. And the Bay of Bengal". StratNews Global first sailed from Sri Vijaya Puram, which was Port Blair till September 2024, to Rutland Island. And filmed an amphibious beach assault in Episode I. We now move northward about 200 kilometres or 108 nautical miles on board the Indian Naval Ship Saryu to Diglipur. To Aerial Bay Jetty, INS Kohassa and the Kalipur Beach. A StratNews Global team of Amitabh P. Revi, Rohit Pandita and Vashisht Mattoo continue documenting the ANC. Deepankar Varma completes the SNG team with his illustrative graphics.
Diego Garcia: Why India, Not China, May Be the Winner from Chagos Deal | Taiwan Talks EP647
This is a secretive military base in the middle of the Indian Ocean, on an island called Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos Archipelago, at the junction between South Asia, Southeast Asia and Africa. On May 22, the U.K. signed an agreement to return sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius, with the exception of Diego Garcia. The island, which exclusively houses the joint U.S. and U.K. base, will remain in British control under a 99-year lease. Critics argue the move could expose the base and islands to Chinese influence, given Mauritius’s friendly relations with Beijing.
