India Sets Up New Navy Base in Lakshadweep

http://www.defencenow.com/news/656/india-sets-up-new-navy-base-in-lakshadweep.html

Posted on: May 02, 2012

 

After three years of planning, India has established a full-fledged navy base in the Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea, in an effort to have a robust security system and infrastructure in place to secure its island territories.

 

The move comes in the backdrop of the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, when the need for strengthening the island territories' security got highlighted.

 

India already has a full-fledged naval base in it other island territories of Andaman and Nicobar in the Bay of Bengal, but has been only operating a detachment at Kavaratti since the early 1980s.

 

The new base in Lakshadweep that was commissioned on Monday has been christened INS Dweeprakshak and it will have its headquarters at Kavaratti in the Lakshadweep archipelago.

 

The commissioning was done by Southern Naval Commander Vice Admiral K.N. Sushil, even as the base's first commanding officer, Captain S.M. Hanchinal, read out the commissioning warrant and hoisted the naval ensign.

 

The INS Dweeprakshak commanding officer will also function as naval officer in charge of Lakshadweep and Minicoy.

 

"Lakshadweep islands form the maritime frontiers of our country on the western side," Sushil said at the event, noting that the commissioning of a full-fledged naval base was another milestone in the commitment of the Indian Navy to maintain effective coastal surveillance and defence capability.

 

The officer also informed that the radar stations and other surveillance measures were in place for shipping traffic monitoring and intelligence gathering.

 

With the commissioning of INS Dweeprakshak, the island territories would see calibrated strengthening of assets in step with their growing relevance to the security calculus of the nation, the Indian Navy said.

 

A firmer footing in the islands, which are spread out astride some of the busiest shipping lanes of the world would provide the necessary wherewithal to the Indian Navy to suitably discharge its responsibilities, it added.

 

Indian naval warships, on anti-piracy patrol in the south Arabian Sea, would now extend their reach farther with base support from INS Dweeprakshak.