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Why in news?
Naval Detachment Minicoy will be commissioned as INS Jatayu, an upgraded naval base, marking an important milestone in the Indian Navy’s resolve to incrementally augment security infrastructure at the strategic Lakshadweep Islands.
What are the Key Highlights of INS Jatayu?
INS Jatayu, formerly Naval Detachment Minicoy, is commissioned as an upgraded naval base on Minicoy Island in the Lakshadweep archipelago.
It will operate under the operational control of the Naval Officer in Charge (Lakshadweep), Southern Naval Command.
The base enhances the operational reach of the Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean, bolstering its capabilities for anti-piracy, anti-narcotics, and surveillance operations.
Situated in Minicoy, the southernmost atoll of the Lakshadweep archipelago, INS Jatayu strategically overlooks vital Sea Lines of Communications (SLOCs), strengthening India’s maritime presence in the region.
In light of China's increasing presence in the Indian Ocean, INS Jatayu reinforces India's ability to counterbalance and deter any attempts to undermine its maritime dominance and territorial integrity.
While India has had a naval detachment in Minicoy, the southernmost atoll of the Lakshwadeep archipelago, since the 1980s, INS Jatayu will effectively be the country’s second naval base in Lakshadweep. The Navy’s first base on the islands, INS Dweeprakshak in Kavaratti, was commissioned in 2012.
INS Jatayu will be equipped with additional infrastructure, including an airfield and personnel housing, to support naval operations and ensure comprehensive security coverage.
Minicoy Island, where INS Jatayu is located, sits at the intersection of crucial Sea Lines of Communications (SLOCs) like the Eight Degree Channel and the Nine Degree Channel, making it susceptible to maritime pollution due to heavy maritime traffic.
Eight Degree Channel separates Indian Minicoy island from Maldives.
The Nine Degree Channel separates the island of Minicoy from the Lakshadweep archipelago.
The Lakshadweep Islands:
India's smallest Union Territory, Lakshadweep ( ‘a hundred thousand islands’ in Sanskrit and Malayalam) is an archipelago consisting of 36 islands located between 220 km and 440 km from Kochi.
The islands, only 11 of which are inhabited, have a total area of only 32 sq km. It is directly under the control of the Centre through an administrator.
The Lakshadweep is part of a chain of coralline islands in the Indian Ocean that includes the Maldives to the south, and the Chagos archipelago farther beyond, to the south of the equator.
Commands of Indian Navy:
It has three operational and one theatre commands. Each command is headed by a Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief holding the rank of Vice Admiral.

Andaman and Nicobar Command, 2001: It is a unified tri-services theatre command based at Port Blair, A&N Islands.
It includes the Indian Navy, Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Indian Coast Guard.