Andaman and Nicobar Command
The Andaman and Nicobar Command is the first and only tri-service theater command of the Indian Armed Forces, based at Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a Union Territory of India. It was created in 2001 to safeguard India's strategic interests in Southeast Asia and the Strait of Malacca by increasing rapid deployment of military assets in the region. It provides logistical and administrative support to naval ships which are sent on deployment to East Asia and the Pacific Ocean.
Background
Strategic importance of ANC
According to the International Hydrographic Organization's definitions of Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands fall on the maritime boundary of these two. Indian exclusive economic zone to the north and west of A&N falls within Bay of Bengal and to west of A&N falls within Andaman Sea. Various straits 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 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. All of this area is part of much larger Indian Ocean region which has world's 90% trade, which in turn is part of Indo-Pacific region which carries almost of the global trade.Control over vital global shipping route
The zone of influenze of ANC has deep significance in terms of history, culture, religion, economy and trade, EEZs, political and international relations, national security, safety and freedom of navigation of power projection of not only India but also other nations of South Asia and Southeast Asia as well as $3 trillion international trade which passes through south Andaman Sea. ANC influence over the gateway of Far East includes Six Degree Channel and Ten Degree Channel in Indian EEZ in Bay of Bengal, which is connected to the Strait of Malacca. These are crossed by over 94,000 merchant ships every year carrying world's 40% freight trade to and from China, South Korea and Japan. Andaman and Nicobar Islands account for 0.2% of India’s land and 30% of its Exclusive economic zone. Sea lines of communication carry more than 90% of global trade. In Indo-Pacific Asia, US$5 trillion annual shipping trade passes through the SLOC and chokepoints of Southeast Asia and South China Sea. 80% of the global trade passes through Indian Ocean SLOC in oil and natural gas critical for advanced economies.Control over critical shipping chokepoints
Since this area in Indian EEZ and ANC influence zone connects Indian Ocean with South China Sea and Pacific Ocean, the safety of Malacca strait is pramount to the economies of numerous countries. Both USA and Russia support the freedom of navigation. Australia's "2013 Defence White Paper" emphasises importance of security of Indian Ocean SLOC trade which has surpassed Atlantic and Pacific oceans trade. However, China's activities in this region continues cause concern among several nations. Against the concern shown by United States, Japan and sveral other nations, China continues to claim most of South China Sea. China has militarized a reclaimed tiny islet in South China Sea which is also claimed by other nations. This has led to China's conflict with several Southeast Asian nations, including Philippines and Vietnam. In March 2020, Indian Navy discovered 12 underwater drones deployed by China in Indian Ocean for gathering oceanographic naval intelligence aimed at submarine warfare. China has allegedly done the similar underwater drone operation in Pacific Ocean as well.All 3 major global sea trade routes to Indian Ocean, from Cape of Good Hope and Gulf of Aden or Straits of Hormuz, converge at narrow Six Degree Channel in Indian EEZ resulting in high shipping density, which enhances India's ability to exert influence over the vulnerability and protection of this maritime trade route. Shallow, congested and narrow archipelagic chokepoints in the influence zone of ANC are Straits of Malacca and Lombok Strait to and from South China Sea. Malaca strait is the busiest and most important chokepoint. All trade vassels from Malacca Strait must pass through most important SLOC chokepoint located within India's Anadaman Nicobar EEZ, i.e. Six Degree Channel south of Anadaman and Nicobar Islands. Other two less frequently used channels within Indian EEZ are the Preparis Channel in north and the Ten Degree Channel between the Andaman and Nicobar island groups. Alternative to the shorter and busiest route through Malaca Strait and Six Degree Channel in Indian EEZ, guarded by Indian Military Base in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is Sunda and Lombok Straits chokepoints in Indonesia in the influence zone of Cocos Islands Australian Military Base. Together, these chokepoints are the entry and exit points between Indian and Pacific Oceans, all of which lie within combined India-Australia military incluence zone. This provides geostrategic advantage to Indian and Australian militaries for joint anti-signal intelligance gathering, submarine tracking and warfare missions in Indian and Pacific Oceans.
India is bolstering military capabilities in Andaman and Nicobar Islands by placing ship-based nuclear missile system as deterrance and a fleet of naval warships with Landing Platform Docks by 2020.
QUAD force multiplier
, 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. QUAD nations continue to hold regular military exercise in the ANC influence area, such as Exercise Malabar.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 Mutual Logistics Support and [Interoperability#Military|interoperability for reciprocal access to military bases. India has a similar treaty with U.S, while similar treaty with remaining member of QUAD, Japan, is awaited. India, which also has MoU with USA and Japan for encrypted military communications, is likely to sign similar MoU with Australia. India, USA and Japan have been undertaking regular trilateral maritime exercises, which Australia is also expected to join. India-Australia Military Pact paves the way for extending their regional reach through coordinated power projection and mutual use of military facilities in India’s Andaman and the Nicobar Islands and Australia’s Cocos Island. Australia, which already has RAAF base at Cocos Islands, uses it for surveillance and to monitor the area extending between Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the north to Cocos Islands in south.
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 also has similar agreements with Vietnam, Japan, France, Australia and the United States, to count China's "string of pearls" with "Necklace of Diamonds" ports comprising
The "Necklace of Diamonds" comprised of ports at Changi Naval Base in Singapore, Chabahar Port in Iran, the Assumption Island in Seychelles, and Duqm Port in Oman.
Historic and contemporary geostrategic soft and hard power
The area in and around ANC influence zone is part of historic Greater India which was dotted with numerous Indianised Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms. Since 45-47 CE, several ancient Indian empires, such as Chola, Chalukya and Andra traded and extered Indian cultural influence over Southeast Asia through Malacca Strait. From 16 to 20th century colonial western powers fought against each other for control of this maritime route, trade and the region.The 750-km long Andaman and Nicobar archipelago consists of a chain of 572 islands. It is located about 1200 km from mainland India, merely 40 km from Myanmar, 160 km from Indonesia and 550 km from Thailand. India's Landfall Island is 40 km from Myanmar's Coco Islands. India's southernmost territory Indira Point is 135 km north of Indonesia's northernmost territory Rondo Island. India's Tillangchong island is just 440 km from Thailand's Ko Huyong. India's Campbell Bay on Great Nicobar Island is 488 km from Thailand's Ko Racha. Campbell Bay is also 630 km from Malaysia's nearest island Langkawi.
Port-development led encirclement
To enhance the regional connectivity, trade, safety, security, and to protect the Strait of Malacca channel, India is developing several strategic ports in the influence zone of ANC, namely Port of Chittagong in Bangladesh with rail connectivity to Tripura, Port of Mongla in Bangladesh, Sittwe Port as part of Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project in Myanmar, Sabang deepsea port under India–Indonesia strategic military and economic partnership. Along with India's Sagar Mala projects aimed at developing several coastal ports in India, India is also considering developing more ports in the influence zone of ANC, such as the Dawei Port Project.Protection of exclusive economic zone
The region suffers from the problem of piracy. 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 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 AFS Car Nicobar in 1993.There was a consideration to replace Fortress Commander, Andaman and Nicobar Islands with a Far Eastern Naval Command. The previous plan to set up FENC was set in motion in 1995 following a closed-door meeting in Washington between then Indian Prime Minister, 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.
Post Kargil war rapid capabilities expansion
In 1999, after the Kargil War, Andaman and Nicobar Islands received more attention. The Group of Ministers report on Reforming the National Security System recommended the replacement of the FORTAN, under the Indian Navy, with a Joint Andaman and Nicobar Command which will control the assets of the tri-services and the Coast Guard on the islands. The GoM had recommended that the Commander of this Joint Command would report to the proposed Chief of Defence Staff. The Andaman and Nicobar Command was in place by the end of September 2001 and Vice Admiral Arun Prakash was the first Commander–in–Chief of the Andaman & Nicobar Command. A joint command at Andaman and Nicobar Islands would help in to prevent smuggling, piracy, drug and gun trafficking, poaching and illegal immigration in the region and especially in the Malacca Strait. The command would also be in a position to assist the multinational Malacca Straits Security Initiative, aimed at curbing threats in the Malacca Straits. An Indian command in the islands could also counter any future threat from China, which was rumoured to have set up a surveillance post in Myanmar's Coco Islands, 40 km off the northern tip of the Andamans, but this was proved incorrect.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. By 2020, India is placing ship-based nuclear missile system, fleet of naval warships and Landing Platform Docks.| Base | Location | Airport | Deepsea port | Distance | Role | Upgrade |
| Kalaikunda AFS | Kharagpur | Yes | No | 1200 km to INS Kohassa | Air Force Base | |
| INS Kohassa | Shibpur village | Yes | 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 | At INS Utkarsh | Jetty | 180 km from INS Kohassa | Logistics and Administrative support naval base with jetty | |
| INS Utkrosh | Port Blair | 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 | No | Jetty | 144 km from Car Nicobar AFS | Logistics support for navy with extended jetty which can host larger cassels | |
| INS Baaz | Campbell Bay | 3000ft | 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 Three-star officer who reports directly to the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee or CDS wiki in New Delhi. The Chief of Staff of the command is a two-star officer; each component is commanded by a one-star officer. The command is currently headed by Lieutenant General P S Rajeshwar, who took command on 1 December 2019 as its 14th commander.Assets
The Naval Component is the largest component and is commanded by a Naval Commodore. Naval vessels in the component include missile corvettes, amphibious warfare vessels, landing crafts, offshore patrol vessels and fast attack crafts. INS Karmuk and INS Kulish, two Kora-class corvettes were re-based to Port Blair from Eastern Naval Command on 6 April 2016 and 21 December 2017 respectively. INS Saryu and INS Sumedha, two Saryu-class patrol vessels, have been based at Port Blair since 2013. In addition, four Bangaram-class patrol vessels, two Car Nicobar-class patrol vessels, one Trinkat-class patrol vessel, three Kumbhir-class tank landing ships, one Shardul-class tank landing ship, four Mk. III LCUs, two Mk. IV LCUs and the SDB Mk.3 large patrol craft are also deployed under the naval component. INAS 318 with Dornier Do 228 and Flight 321 are deployed at INS Utkrosh.The 108 Infantry Brigade of the Indian Army, comprising three battalions, which includes the 21 Bihar, is deployed at Birchgunj in Port Blair under the army component. A Territorial Army battalion is also deployed at Campbell Bay. Indian Airforce's 15 FBSU, comprising 153 Squadron and 4 Maritime Element, are deployed at Port Blair. 37 Air Wing, comprising Helicopters from 122 squadron and Dornier Do 228 from 151 squadron, are deployed at AFS Car Nicobar.
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. 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. 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.