A day after reviewing operational readiness of the tri-service Andaman and Nicobar Command to thwart any challenge in the Indian Ocean by China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday visited Indira Point, the southernmost tip of the country. It was the first visit by him to the archipelago since taking over as the Defence Minister.
Rajnath’s visit assumes importance in light of the growing influence of China in the Indian Ocean Region. His interaction with troops at naval station INS Baaz in Cambell Bay is important as it overlooks the Strait of Malacca, the sea route through which majority of Chinese imports pass and is one of the most important shipping routes in the world both, from an economic and strategic viewpoint.
Moreover, Indira Point is along the Great Channel, popularly referred to as the ‘Six Degree Channel’, which is a major shipping lane for international traffic. A strong presence of the Armed Forces equips India to better discharge its responsibility of being a net security provider in the region. En-route, Rajnath halted at the Car Nicobar Island and Campbell Bay where he was apprised about the ground conditions. He also interacted with the joint services troops of Andaman and Nicobar Command there, lauding them for serving the country with unmatched bravery and commitment, defence ministry officials said here.
He was accompanied by Lieutenant General Ajai Singh, the commander-in-chief of Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN). Rajnath was familiarised with the terrain of Southern Group of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He also paid a visit to naval station INS Baaz and interacted with troops.
This is the first visit of the defence minister to Indira Point since January 2019. Apart from the strategic signaling in view of proximity of these far-flung islands to the Indo-Pacific, his visit to the Command motivated the troops deployed in these distant and remote islands. Andaman and Nicobar Command is a 21-year-old successful Integrated Theatre Command which is now being planned at the national level. INS Baaz is a forward operating base of the and also overlooks the Six Degree channel between Great Nicobar and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Campbell Bay is the country's eye over the Strait of Malacca.
After visiting INS Baaz, Rajnath also visited the Air Force station at Car Nicobar. It operates frontline fighter jets including SU-30 and Jaguars. Meanwhile, AN’s BJP leaders urged him for better air connectivity between the archipelago and other parts of the country.
"We understand the importance of the upgradation of runway here but we requested Union minister to ensure speedy completion of the project because this led to steep airfares," Bairagi told PTI. The local BJP leaders also urged Rajnath to start flight services between Port Blair and Shibpur airport in Diglipur to handle medical emergencies, he said.