Andaman and Nicobar Command
Andaman and Nicobar Command | |
---|---|
Founded | September 2001 |
Country | Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan |
The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) is a
Background
Strategic Importance of ANC
According to the International Hydrographic Organization's (IHO) definitions of the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (A&N) fall on the maritime boundary of these two. Indian exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to the north and west of A&N falls within the Bay of Bengal and to east of A&N falls within the Andaman Sea. Various straits (narrow passage in the sea, also called the channel) in A&N, are officially part of Andaman Sea and not the Bay of Bengal, connect the Bay of Bengal with Andaman Sea and to the shipping routes beyond. The Ten Degree Channel (also called Great or Grand Channel) within India's EEZ is world's busiest shipping trade route which also connects to very narrow and contiguous Malacca and Singapore straits. This route is considered world's biggest strategic chokepoint in military terminology, e.g. India and allies could potentially impose a blockade in case of dispute with China whose economy significantly depends on the export trade through this route. Safety, security and freedom of navigation in this area is vital for the global economy. This area is part of the much larger Indian Ocean region through which 90% of the world's trade passes, which in turn is part of the larger Indo-Pacific region which hosts most of the global maritime trading activity.
Control over vital global shipping route
The zone of influence of ANC has deep significance in terms of history, culture, religion, economy and
Control over critical shipping chokepoints
Since this area in Indian EEZ and ANC influence zone connects
All 3 major global sea trade routes to Indian Ocean, from
India is bolstering military capabilities in Andaman and Nicobar Islands by placing ship-based
QUAD force multiplier
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), a strategic dialogue between Australia, India, Japan and USA, is aimed at countering the risk posed to the trade and security of navigation and nations in and around this region.[15][16][17] QUAD nations continue to hold regular military exercise in the ANC influence area, such as Exercise Malabar (see also US-Philippines Annual Balikatan Exercise).[18][19]
Aimed at countering China's activities in Indo-Pacific, to ensure "free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific region ... and maintaining open, safe and efficient sea lanes for transportation and communication", India and Australia signed a military treaty for
India-Singapore Bilateral Agreement for Navy Cooperation also provides Indian Navy ships access to Singapore's Changi Naval Base, logistical support and refuelling rights. This allows India, which has similar agreements with Vietnam, Japan, France, Australia and the United States, to counter China's "string of pearls" with "Necklace of Diamonds" ports: Changi Naval Base in Singapore, Chabahar Port in Iran, the Assumption Island in Seychelles, and Duqm Port in Oman.[20]
Historic and contemporary geostrategic soft and hard power
The area in and around ANC influence zone is part of historic
The 750-km long Andaman and Nicobar archipelago consists of a chain of 572 islands.
Port-development led encirclement
To enhance regional connectivity, trade, safety, security, and to protect the Strait of Malacca channel,
Protection of exclusive economic zone
The region suffers from the problem of piracy.[6] ANC is guarantor of the safety and security of exclusive economic zone of India, which also lies in the vicinity of EEZs of several other nations including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka.
History of ANC
Inception and slow expansion
The island chain had remained underdeveloped because of multiple factors including lack of inter-island connectivity, distance from the Indian mainland and high-cost of building materials. In the 1960s, the Indian security establishment responded to the increased security threats and established a unified Fortress Andaman and Nicobar (FORTAN) under the command of a Vice Admiral as the Fortress Commander. The Indian Army initially placed a battalion and subsequently the 108 Mountain Brigade, in 1990, under the command of the Fortress Commander. The Indian Air Force chose to keep its units under one of its mainland commands and maintained a liaison with the FORTAN headquarters. 37 Wing of the Indian Air Force was raised at
There was a consideration to replace Fortress Commander, Andaman and Nicobar Islands (FORTAN) with a Far Eastern Naval Command (FENC). The previous plan to set up FENC was set in motion in 1995 following a closed-door meeting in Washington between then Prime Minister of India, P. V. Narasimha Rao, and then US president, Bill Clinton. At the time, Pentagon officials made a formal request to the United Front coalition government in New Delhi to open a base in the islands.[28]
Post Kargil war rapid capabilities expansion
In 1999, after the
Summary of bases and capabilities
The following are the air and naval bases under the A&N command, from north to south, some of which are being upgraded under 2027 roll-on plan.
Base | Location | Airport[6] | Deepsea port[6] | Distance | Role | Upgrade[6] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kalaikunda AFS | Kharagpur (West Bengal) | Yes | No (inland) | 1200 km to INS Kohassa | Air Force Base | |
INS Kohassa | Shibpur village (Diglipur tehsil, North Andaman Island )
|
Yes (3000 ft, planned to be extended to 10,000 ft) | Aerial Bay jetty | 1200 km from Kalaikunda AFS | Naval Air Station | New ammunition dumps and capacity upgrade for fighter jets and bigger planes like long-range maritime reconnaissance Boeing P-8I and anti-submarine aircraft. |
INS Jarawa | Port Blair (South Andaman Island) | At INS Utkarsh | Jetty | 180 km from INS Kohassa | Logistics and Administrative support naval base with jetty | |
INS Utkrosh | Yes | INS Jarawa jetty | 180 km from INS Kohassa | Joint Naval and Air Force Base at Veer Savarkar International Airport
|
Naval ammunition depot and bigger reinforced command with extended jetties for aircraft carriers and large warships. | |
Car Nicobar AFS
|
Car Nicobar | Yes | Jetty | 275 km from INS Utkrosh | Air Force Base | Capacity upgrade to hold fighter squadrons for more than month. |
INS Kardip | Kamorta (Kamorta Island )
|
No | Jetty (upgraded to deepsea port for warships) | 144 km from Car Nicobar AFS | Logistics support for navy with extended jetty which can host larger cassels | |
INS Baaz | Campbell Bay (Great Nicobar Island )
|
3000 ft (extended to 6,000 feet) | Jetty (upgraed to deepsea port for warships, installation of a robust radar network. | 130 km from INS Kardip | Naval Air Station | New ammunition dump and relocating fighter jets and bigger planes such as long-range maritime reconnaissance Boeing P-8I and anti-submarine aircraft. |
Force structure
Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command
The Andaman and Nicobar Command is commanded by a
Chief of Staff
The following is a list of Chiefs of Staff of the A&N command.
No | Name | Branch | Appointment Date | Left Office | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Major General K. B. Kapoor VSM | Indian Army | 12 December 2001 | 14 October 2003 | |
2 | NM
|
Indian Navy | 15 October 2003 | 24 April 2005 | |
3 | Rear Admiral S. Chakraborty VSM | 25 April 2005 | 6 June 2005 | ||
4 | VM
|
Indian Air Force | 7 June 2005 | 7 December 2006 | [41] |
5 | Rear Admiral P. K. Nair | Indian Navy | 8 December 2006 | 30 November 2008 | [42] |
6 | Major General A. K. Chaturvedi | Indian Army | 1 December 2008 | 26 April 2010 | [43] |
7 | Major General N. P. Padhi | 27 April 2010 | 6 May 2011 | [44] | |
8 | Rear Admiral Karambir Singh | Indian Navy | 7 May 2011 | 28 May 2012 | [45][46] |
9 | NM
|
28 May 2012 | 4 July 2014 | [47][46] | |
10 | Major General C. E. Fernandes SM
|
Indian Army | 5 July 2014 | 14 October 2014 | [48] |
11 | Major General P. K. Siwach VSM
|
3 November 2014 | 30 March 2016 | [49] | |
12 | Major General P. S. Saj
|
18 April 2016 | 4 May 2018 | ||
13 | Major General Beji Mathews
|
5 May 2018 | 4 March 2020 | [50][51] | |
14 | NM, VSM
|
Indian Navy | 5 March 2020 | 17 July 2021 | [52] |
15 | NM
|
18 July 2021 | 30 November 2022 | [53] | |
16 | NM
|
1 December 2022 | Incumbent | [54] |
Assets
The Naval Component is the largest component and is commanded by a
The 108 Infantry Brigade of the
The Andaman & Nicobar region of the Indian Coast Guard also falls under the purview of the command with RHQ and 745 squadron at Port Blair, DHQ 9 at Diglipur and DHQ 10 at Campbell Bay.[63][64][21] In July 2012, the navy commissioned INS Baaz, a naval air station which is located 300 nautical miles south of Port Blair and is the southernmost air station of the Indian Armed Forces.[58] INS Jarawa at Phoenix Bay in Port Blair is the support base for the ships and the main naval and air force establishment in Port Blair.
Modernization
In 2013, the navy proposed to station a nuclear submarine and a
Operations
Unilateral security and anti-piracy initiatives
The Andaman and Nicobar Command manages Indian engagement with regional navies of Southeast Asia. It conducts bi-annual coordinated patrols (CORPATs) with the navies of Thailand and Indonesia, the annual SIMBEX maritime exercises with Singapore, and the biennial Milan multilateral naval exercises.[69][70][71] The Command also patrols India's exclusive economic zone to suppress gun running, narcotics smuggling, piracy, and poaching, and conducts maritime surveillance, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.[72][73][74]
Unilateral war exercises
In April 2016, the command conducted an amphibious exercise called 'Jal Prahar' to check readiness and to ensure functional integrity of all three services on the islands. Ships, aircraft and troops along with tanks from both the Eastern Naval Command and Andaman & Nicobar Command participated in the exercise.[75] Defence of Andaman & Nicobar Islands Exercise (DANX-17) was conducted during 20–24 November 2017. Additional forces including Jaguar fighters, 50th Parachute Brigade, missile frigates and C-130 Hercules heavy lift aircraft also participated in the exercise. The purpose of the exercise was to practice the defence of the island chain and recapturing islands.[76]
Search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370
For the effort to search for
See also
- Integrated entities
- Defence Planning Committee, tri-services command at policy level with NSA as its chief
- Defence Cyber Agency, tri-services command
- Integrated Defence Staff, tri-services command at strategic level composed of MoD, MEA and tri-services staff
- Armed Forces Special Operations Division, tri-services command at operational level
- Defence Space Agency, draws staff from all 3 services of Indian Armeed Forces
- Strategic Forces Command, nuclear command of India
- Indian Nuclear Command Authority, Strategic Forces Command
- Special Forces of India, tri-services, RAW and internal Security each has own units
- Assets
- List of Indian Air Force stations
- List of Indian Navy bases
- List of active Indian Navy ships
- India's overseas military bases
- Other nations
- Special Operations Forces Command (KSSO) - Russian equivalent command
- Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) - U.S. equivalent command
- General concepts
- Joint warfare, general concept
- Credible minimum deterrence
- List of cyber warfare forces of other nations
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