The Indian Navy will commission a new base, INS Jatayu, in Lakshadweep for “better coverage of the Indian Ocean” next week.
Top government sources told India Today TV that the Navy would commission INS Jatayu in Minicoy Island in Lakshadweep to “keep an eye on the activities of adversaries there”. This will start with a component of a few officers and men, and then will be expanded to a larger naval base, they said.
The Navy is planning to commission the new base during the commanders’ conference plan, which will be held aboard INS Vikrant and Vikramaditya next week. The base would give a similar capability in the Arabian Sea like the INS Baaz positioned in the Andaman and Nicobar island territories in the east.
The Indian Navy would be operating both its aircraft carriers, INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant, near Lakshadweep, which will be a first of its kind experience for the Navy in many years. This would be the first time that INS Vikrant would participate in twin carrier operations alongside INS Vikramaditya.
The Navy is also planning to commission the MH 60 helicopters in its lead in a ceremony in the first week of March.