INS Jatayu : Highlights
The commissioning of INS Jatayu, an upgraded naval base in the Lakshadweep Islands, marks a significant development in India’s maritime security strategy, particularly in the context of growing Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean Region.
- The Indian Navy commissioned its first MH-60R multi-role helicopter squadron Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 334 at Kochi, a major capability boost for its rotary fleet and its anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
- INS Jatayu, formerly Naval Detachment Minicoy, is commissioned as an upgraded naval base on Minicoy Island in the Lakshadweep archipelago.
- It will operate under the operational control of the Naval Officer in Charge (Lakshadweep), Southern Naval Command.
- The base enhances the operational reach of the Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean, bolstering its capabilities for anti-piracy, anti-narcotics, and surveillance operations.
- Situated in Minicoy, the southernmost atoll of the Lakshadweep archipelago, INS Jatayu strategically overlooks vital Sea Lines of Communications (SLOCs), strengthening India’s maritime presence in the region.
- In light of China’s increasing presence in the Indian Ocean, INS Jatayu reinforces India’s ability to counterbalance and deter any attempts to undermine its maritime dominance and territorial integrity.
- INS Jatayu will effectively be the country’s second naval base in Lakshadweep. The Navy’s first base on the islands, INS Dweeprakshak in Kavaratti, was commissioned in 2012.
- INS Jatayu will be equipped with additional infrastructure, including an airfield and personnel housing, to support naval operations and ensure comprehensive security coverage.
- Minicoy Island, where INS Jatayu is located, sits at the intersection of crucial Sea Lines of Communications (SLOCs) like the Eight Degree Channel and the Nine Degree Channel, making it susceptible to maritime pollution due to heavy maritime traffic.
- Eight Degree Channel separates Indian Minicoy island from Maldives.
- The Nine Degree Channel separates the island of Minicoy from the Lakshadweep archipelago
