India to build naval base in Lakshadweep after Maldives demands troop withdrawal

With India-Maldives relations at a historic low, New Delhi announced plans to build a naval base 130 kilometers away from the island nation. The base has been named INS Jatayu and will be built on the southernmost island in the Indian archipelago of Lakshadweep.

Walking a diplomatic tightrope between India and China, Maldives has ordered all Indian troops to leave the country before March 15.

After the latest round of bilateral talks, India said on February 2 that a "set of mutually workable solutions" was agreed upon with the Maldives for continuing the operations of Indian aviation platforms in the island nation.

The Maldives' proximity to India -- barely 70 nautical miles from the island of Minicoy in Lakshadweep and 300 nautical miles from the mainland's western coast -- and its location at centre of commercial sea lanes running through the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), gives it significant strategic importance.

The development comes days after Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, widely seen as a pro-China leader, in his maiden address to Parliament on February 5 announced that the first group of Indian military personnel will be sent back from the island nation before the deadline.

(With PTI inputs)

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