India to build new naval base on Lakshadweep archipelago to boost security
Indian Navy soldiers rehearse for the Republic Day parade on a cold winter morning in New Delhi, India January 2, 2023. PHOTO: REUTERS
India plans to commission a new naval base in the Lakshadweep islands, off the country's south-west coast, to boost security in the region, the Ministry of Defence said on Saturday.
The Indian Navy will announce on March 6 plans to build INS Jatayu on Minicoy island.
Minicoy is the southernmost island in the Lakshadweep archipelago, which straddles primary maritime trade routes between the Strait of Malacca and the gulfs of Aden and Hormuz.
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"The base will enhance operational reach and facilitate the Indian Navy's operational effort towards anti-piracy and anti-narcotics operations in the Western Arabian Sea," a navy statement said.
India already has a base in Lakshadweep, the INS Dweeprakshak in Kavaratti.