India fortifying Andaman and Nicobar Islands amid concerns over PRC’s regional push

Mandeep Singh
India is undertaking a major military and infrastructure buildup in its Andaman and Nicobar Islands as concerns grow over the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) activities in the strategic region.
The Bay of Bengal archipelago of more than 800 islands, islets and rocky outcrops, of which fewer than 40 are inhabited, is about 1,200 kilometers from the Indian mainland but 150 kilometers from Indonesia and 55 kilometers from a PRC-linked military outpost on Myanmar’s Coco Islands. The Andaman and Nicobar chain also straddles a vital shipping lane that connects the Indian and Pacific oceans.
One of New Delhi’s priorities is upgrading naval air stations, which fall under the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), which was established in 2001 to integrate assets from the Indian Air Force, Army and Navy. The projects include modernized airfields, expanded jetties, enhanced logistics and storage facilities, upgraded troop accommodations, and advanced surveillance assets, The Indian Express newspaper reported.
The ANC “has a critical role in providing logistical and administrative support to naval platforms and other military assets,” Dr. Pooja Bhatt, director of the India-based Pankaj Kumar Jha Centre for Security Studies, told FORUM. “It fortifies India’s presence over crucial shipping routes and choke points against malicious actors through constant monitoring and surveillance. They also act as the first line of defense for India in its eastern maritime flank.”
Although the Coco Islands outpost is believed to be under Myanmar’s control, it was developed with support from Beijing, according to a 2023 report by the Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi-based think tank. Chinese Communist Party military personnel, particularly from the People’s Liberation Army Information Support Force, are believed to have access to the facility, which includes a 2,300-meter runway and potentially signals intelligence capabilities.
India’s buildup in Andaman and Nicobar comes amid other worries over the PRC’s regional presence. In August 2024, the Indian Navy was placed on alert after a Chinese survey ship was detected in the Bay of Bengal about 120 kilometers from where India had announced plans to conduct a subsurface firing, according to India’s The Telegraph newspaper.
By strengthening its defensive capabilities in the island chain, New Delhi has responded to “suspicious Chinese activities in the area,” Bhatt said. “Developing strategic infrastructure such as naval air stations, ports and related infrastructure … will fortify the Indian presence for both economic and strategic reasons. In other words, for India the islands will act as a force multiplier in the larger Indo-Pacific region.”
One of the islands’ naval air stations is extending its runway to accommodate larger aircraft, including P-8I Poseidon patrol planes and fighter jets, The Indian Express reported. Additionally, the station’s jetty is being upgraded for larger vessels.
In 2023, a modern hangar and dispersal system were installed at naval air station INS Utkrosh in the archipelago’s capital, Port Blair. The station was equipped in 2024 with a precision approach radar to enhance aircraft landings in low visibility, along with the Integrated Underwater Harbour Defence and Surveillance System. The same year, naval communication network centers were opened at INS Kohassa, INS Baaz and INS Kardip to strengthen the ANC’s communication and operational capabilities.
Meanwhile, commercial development on the islands is underway as part of the $8.5 billion Great Nicobar Project, which is set to include a transshipment port at Galathea Bay, an international airport, township development, and a gas- and solar-based power plant, Bhatt said.
Mandeep Singh is a FORUM contributor reporting from New Delhi, India.