The Indian Navy is scheduled to inaugurate a new base, INS Jatayu, near the Maldives on March 6, situated on the Lakshadweep island of Minicoy. This development coincides with impending troop withdrawal from the Maldives. As per a statement released by the Indian Navy, the new base will enhance India's operational surveillance capabilities in the region.
INS Jatayu will be located about 258 km closer to the Maldives than the Indian Navy’s existing base – INS Dweeprakshak – on the Lakhshadweep island of Karavatti, media reported. “Minicoy is the southernmost island of Lakshadweep which straddles the vital sea lines of communications,” the Indian Navy said.
Media reported that Naval Detachment Minicoy, a temporary base of the Indian Navy, is already established at Minicoy near the 9 Degree Channel, a bustling global shipping route.
The Maldives' defence ministry announced that the first Indian team of civilian technical personnel arrived in the country last week. They are tasked with replacing the Indian military personnel responsible for operating aviation equipment stationed there.
In January, Malé asked New Delhi to withdraw its soldiers from the island nation by March 15.
India stands as the sole foreign power with a military presence in the Maldives, with approximately 70 Indian defence personnel overseeing radar stations and surveillance aircraft across the archipelago. Indian warships actively participate in patrolling the Maldives' exclusive economic zone. This strategic collaboration holds significant importance for New Delhi, especially amid its geopolitical rivalry with China in the Indian Ocean region.