The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) is a integrated tri-services command of the Indian Armed Forces, based at Sri Vijaya Puram 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.Rajat Pandit (2010), . The Times of India, 6 February 2010. Accessed on 23 July 2012.
Background
Strategic Importance of ANC
According to the International Hydrographic Organization's (IHO) definitions of the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (A&N) fall on the maritime boundary of these two. Indian exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to the north and west of A&N falls within the Bay of Bengal and to east of A&N falls within the Andaman Sea. Various straits (narrow passages in the sea, also called the channels) in A&N are officially part of Andaman Sea, rather than the Bay of Bengal, connect the two and shipping routes beyond. The Ten Degree Channel (also called Great or Grand Channel) within India's EEZ is world's busiest shipping trade route which also connects to the very narrow and contiguous Strait of Malacca and the Singapore Strait. This route is considered world's biggest strategic choke point. 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 are vital for the global economy. This area is part of the much larger Indian Ocean region through which 90% of the world's trade passes, which in turn is part of the larger Indo-Pacific region which hosts most of the global maritime trading activity.
Control over vital global shipping route
The zone of influence of the 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 the $3 trillion in international trade which passes through the south Andaman Sea. ANC influence over the gateway to the Far East includes the Six Degree Channel and the Ten Degree Channel in the Indian EEZ in the 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., Future Directions org, 15 JUNE 2017.More muscle for India's Andaman and Nicobar defence posts to counter hawkish China, Hindustan Times, 26 Aug 2017. Sea lines of communication (SLOC) carry more than 90% of global trade. In Indo-Pacific Asia, US$5 trillion annual shipping trade passes through the SLOC and choke points of Southeast Asia and South China Sea (SCS). 80% of the global trade passes through Indian Ocean SLOC in oil and natural gas critical for advanced economies.Australia's own Indo-Pacific fortress – The case for redeveloping Cocos Islands, Defence Connect, 28 MAY 2019.
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 paramount to the economies of numerous countries.India's Strategic Dimensions in Malacca Strait By Vithiyapathy Purushothaman, 16 March 2015. 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.India, Australia Could Sign Pact For A Military Base In Andaman's and Cocos Islands, Eurasian Times, 23 May 2020. However, China's activities in this region continues cause concern among several nations. Against the concern shown by United States, Japan and several 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.What is the geo-strategic potential of the Great Channel? How can it curtail the benefits of the Malacca Strait?, Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis. 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.Bill Tarrant, 2010, Strait is a strategic 'chokepoint', retrieved 23 Jan 2015. All trade vessels 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 (Keeling) 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 influence zone. This provides geostrategic advantage to Indian and Australian militaries [part of QUAD along with USA and Japan] for joint anti-signal intelligence gathering, submarine tracking and warfare missions in Indian and Pacific Oceans.Islands of opportunity: Where India and Australia can work together, The Interpreter, 22 May 2020.
India is bolstering military capabilities in Andaman and Nicobar Islands by placing ship-based nuclear missile system as deterrence and a fleet of naval warships with Landing Platform Docks (LPDs) by 2020.Ensuring Secure Seas: Indian Maritime Security Strategy, Ministry of Defence (Navy), 2015.
QUAD force multiplier
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), 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.Ching, Frank. "Asian Arc of Democracy" Korea Times, 24 February 2008.Twining, Daniel. "The new Asian order's challenge to China". Financial Times, 26 September 2007.Brooks, L., Busby, J. W., Denmark, A. M., Ford, L., Green, M. J., Ikenberry, G. J., Kaplan, R. D., Patel, N., Twining, D., and R. Weitz, 2009. "China's Arrival: A Strategic Framework for a Global Relationship". Eds. Abraham Denmark and Nirav Patel, Center for a New American Security. QUAD nations continue to hold regular military exercise in the ANC influence area, such as Exercise Malabar (see also US-Philippines Annual Balikatan Exercise).
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 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 (Exercise Malabar), which Australia is also expected to join.India and Australia sign military pact as China tensions rise, Asian Review, 4 June 2020. 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 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 has similar agreements with Vietnam, Japan, France, Australia and the United States, to counter China's "string of pearls" with "Necklace of Diamonds" ports: Changi Naval Base in Singapore, Chabahar Port in Iran, the Assumption Island in Seychelles, and Duqm Port in Oman.From Singapore's Changi Naval Base To Oman's Duqm Port, How Is India Countering Chinese String of Pearls?, Eurasian Times, 15 July 2020.
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 the Chola, Chalukya, Kalinga [modern Odisha] and Andra traded and exerted Indian cultural influence over Southeast Asia through the Malacca Strait. From the 16th 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.James Horsburgh, 1852, The India Directory, Or, Directions for Sailing to and from the East Indies, Page 63. India's Tillangchong island (north of Camorta Island in Nicobar) is just 440 km from Thailand's Ko Huyong (Similan Islands group). India's Campbell Bay on Great Nicobar Island is 488 km from Thailand's Ko Racha (Racha Noi Island in Phuket Province). Campbell Bay is also 630 km from Malaysia's nearest island ,Langkawi.
Port-development led encirclement
To enhance 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 the Port of Chittagong in Bangladesh with rail connectivity to Tripura, Port of Mongla in Bangladesh,Bangladesh, India to ink pact today to allow N-E States use Chittagong port m The Hindu, 24 October 2018. Sittwe Port as part of the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project in Myanmar andIndia starts construction of ₹1,600-cr Mizoram-Myanmar Kaladan road , Business Line, 17 April 2018. Sabang deepsea port under the India–Indonesia strategic military and economic partnership.Eyeing Southeast Asia, India builds port in Indonesia, Economic Times, 20 March 2019. 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.