INDIA TO POSSES A MILITARY BASE IN COCOS ISLANDS TO COUNTERACT CHINA

INDIA TO POSSES A MILITARY BASE IN COCOS ISLANDS

The upcoming virtual bilateral summit between the Indian PM Narendra Modi and Australian PM Scott Morrison could lay the bottom for signing a pact on the mutual use of India’s Andaman and therefore the Nicobar Islands and Australia’s Cocos Islands for military purposes.

ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS AND COCOS ISLANDS

India’s Andaman and Nicobar islands lie on the brink of the straits of Malacca and Australia’s Cocos islands to the Indonesian straits of Sunda , Lombok, and Ombai Wetar. Strategically placed, these straits are together the entry and exit points between the Indian and therefore the Pacific Oceans which forms an advantageous prospect within the favour of both India and Australia.

SIMILAR INTERESTS

“For India, Australia may be a key partner in its Indo Pacific strategy and For Australia, the Indo Pacific is of strategic importance . whilst a trade route, both India and Australia acknowledge the importance attached thereto .

AUSTRALIA PLACES TONS OF IMPORTANCE ON INDIAN OCEAN (2013 DEFENSE WHITE PAPER)

“The white book expresses the view that the Indian Ocean is developing into a trade corridor surpassing the Atlantic and Pacific oceans , and states that as Australia features a vital interest within the security of the ocean lanes of the Indian Ocean which can be featured in its defence and security planning.

In March this year, the Indian navy found that Beijing had deployed about 12 underwater drones within the Indian Ocean to collect oceanography data. this type of knowledge is usually employed for naval intelligence purposes and primarily submarine warfare.

HARMONIZING ADVANTAGES

The islands in question, India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Australia’s Cocos Islands are already been used for surveillance purposes.However, a joint effort that involves a coordinated effort would enable New Delhi and Canberra to strengthen their presence within the region and

function more efficiently together.

Experts believe that if the India Australia pact is signed then New Delhi would find it easy to watch the world extending between Andaman and Nicobar Islands within the north to Cocos Islands within the south. Similarly, Canberra wouldn't only be enabled to expand its influence in the eastern Indian Ocean but also will have access to a platform for strengthening its military presence within the area

The multiple choke points would also allow efficient tracking of hostile submarines which may cause joint anti submarine warfare missions. India Australia pact around a gaggle of strategic islands which have historically been closed to every other sends a transparent message of intensifying trust between two key players of the Indo Pacific.

Without losing an excessive amount of to every other, Australia and India are coming close to check Chinese hegemony and permit one another to realize a significant advantage within the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).