The existing naval base at Minicoy (Maliku) in the Lakshadweep Islands will be strengthened to enhance security infrastructure and function as an independent headquarters.
The Indian Navy is scheduled to commission a naval base on Minicoy Island (Maliku) on March 6, 2024.
The existing naval base at Minicoy (Maliku) in the Lakshadweep Islands will be strengthened to enhance security infrastructure and function as an independent headquarters starting tomorrow.
There is already an existing naval base located at Kavaratti in the Lakshadweep Islands. However, with the establishment of a naval base in Minicoy (Maliku), the naval facilities will be 258 kilometers (160 miles) closer to the Maldives.
Minicoy (Maliku) is the closest island to the Maldives in India. Minicoy, the southernmost island of Lakshadweep, lies approximately 130 kilometers (80 miles) from the northernmost tip of the Maldives. "Minicoy is the southernmost island of Lakshadweep which straddles the vital Sea Lines of Communications (SLOCs)" the Indian Navy said in a statement.
The statement said that the base will enhance operational reach and facilitate the Indian Navy’s efforts in Anti-Piracy and Anti-Narcotics Operations in the Western Arabian Sea. It will also strengthen regional security and maritime incident assistance capabilities.
Naval Detachment Minicoy was set up in the early 1980s under the operational command of the Naval Officer-in-Charge (Lakshadweep). The independent Naval unit, which will be inaugurated tomorrow, will function as an independent center with state-of-the-art equipment, as stated by the Indian Navy.
Indian media had earlier reported that the Minister of Defence of India, Rajnath Singh, would travel to the region on an Indian vessel to inaugurate the new base. For the ceremony, 15 Indian vessels will go to Minicoy. The fleet will also include destroyers, frigates, and submarines. This will be an unprecedented event for the Indian Navy to showcase its strength.
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