INS Jatayu- New Military Base in Lakshadweep | India’s Brilliant Strategy to Beat Maldives and China
The Indian Navy is set to commission a new base, INS Jatayu, in Lakshadweep next week for better coverage of the Indian Ocean.
Top government sources have revealed that INS Jatayu on Minicoy Island in Lakshadweep will monitor the activities of adversaries in the region.
Initially, the base will house a small contingent of officers and men before expanding into a larger naval base.
The commissioning of INS Jatayu is planned during the commanders’ conference aboard INS Vikrant and Vikramaditya next week.
This base will provide capabilities similar to INS Baaz in the Andaman and Nicobar islands, enhancing the Navy’s presence in the Arabian Sea.
The Indian Navy will conduct twin carrier operations near Lakshadweep, with both INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant in action for the first time.
INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant participated in Exercise Milin, showcasing India’s aircraft carrier manufacturing capabilities.
The base at Minicoy Islands will strengthen the Navy’s position in the Indian Ocean, particularly in monitoring activities near the Maldives.
The Navy will also induct the MH 60R Seahawk helicopter, bolstering its Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capabilities.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will commission the MH 60R Seahawk at INS Garuda on March 6.
The MH 60R fills a significant gap in the Navy’s ASW capability, enhancing surveillance capabilities.
The commanders’ conference will be held on board INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant, featuring high-tempo operations and participation from other warships and submarines.
Quick Links
Maldives is at high risk of external debt distress, warns IMF
Muizzu’s mentor, former president Abdulla Yameen, who ruled for five years until 2018, had also borrowed heavily from Beijing for construction projects.
The borrowing left Maldives owing a whopping 42 percent of its more than $3 billion foreign debt to China in 2021, according to the World Bank, citing the Maldives’ finance ministry.
China’s research vessel returns to Maldives EEZ after departing from Male
China’s research vessel – Xiang Yang Hong 03 – has returned to the boundary of the Maldives’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) after docking in Male, Maldives-based Adhadhu reported on Wednesday. The ship arrived in Male’ on February 22. Despite departing from Male, the vessel’s last signal was detected near Hulhumale two days ago, the report said citing marine tracking sites. Hulhumale is located in the south of North Malé Atoll
“Maldivian President Muizzu has agreed to host a Chinese spy ship whose mission is to collate data on undersea conditions,” the geostrategist said. “The Muizzu government claim that the PLA-linked ship would not conduct oceanographic research in the Maldivian waters is laughable as the Maldives has zero capability to detect such activity.”
Indian civilian team reaches Maldives to replace military personnel manning aviation platforms
The news portal reported on Wednesday that test flights will be conducted before the helicopter is sent to India for repairs. An Indian ship, scheduled to dock in Addu on February 28, will transport the replacement helicopter. The Defence Ministry confirmed that the Indian troops will adhere to the agreed withdrawal dates.
