Mapping
Source: IE
Context: INS Jatayu, India’s new naval base on Minicoy Island in Lakshadweep, signifies a crucial step in bolstering security infrastructure in the strategic archipelago. It is the second naval base in Lakshadweep. Situated in a strategically important location, the base strengthens India’s operational capability in the region, aiding anti-piracy and anti-narcotics operations in the western Arabian Sea.
About Lakshadweep
It is an archipelago consisting of 36 islands (divided into three subgroups: Laccadive Islands, Amindivi Islands, and Minicoy), including 12 atolls, three reefs, and five submerged banks. Situated between the Arabian Sea and the Laccadive Sea, the islands are located approximately 220–440 km off the Malabar Coast of mainland India. Divided into three subgroups, the islands cover a total land area of about 32 km2, with a coastline of 132 km and a lagoon area of 4,200 km2. The territory, forming part of the Lakshadweep–Maldives–Chagos group of islands, sits atop the Chagos-Lakshadweep Ridge, a vast undersea mountain range. The islands’ formation is attributed to the subsidence of volcanic islands, resulting in the growth of fringing reefs.
