Rajnath Singh visits INS Baaz: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Friday, visited 'INS Baaz' -- the Indian naval air station at Campbell Bay in Great Nicobar Island. Notably, this Indian naval air station is under the joint services Andaman and Nicobar Command of the Indian Armed Forces.
According to defence sources, Singh was accompanied by Lieutenant General Ajai Singh AVSM, the commander-in-chief of Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN) and interacted with the troops.
The Defence Minister's visit holds importance amid China's aim to boost its influence in the Indian Ocean region. The sources said the INS Baaz overlooks the Strait of Malacca, which is one of the most crucial maritime routes in the world from an economic and strategic standpoint, and through which the majority of Chinese imports pass.
In addition, INS Baaz, also overlooks the Six Degree channel between Great Nicobar and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It is a full-fledged forward operating base of the Indian Naval Air Arm.
"Reviewed the operational preparedness & infra development projects during my visit to the Andaman & Nicobar Command HQ in Port Blair. I firmly believe that A&N Command will continue to excel in its contribution towards ensuring national security (sic)," Singh wrote on Twitter.
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About Campbell Bay
Campbell Bay is the country's eye over the Strait of Malacca, which is the shortest shipping channel between the Indian and Pacific Oceans and connects major economies like China, Japan, the Middle East and South Korea.
Singh was familiarised with the terrain of the southern group of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He later visited Indira Point, the southernmost tip of the country.
After visiting INS Baaz he also went to the Air Force station at Car Nicobar, the sources said.
Singh reviewed operational preparedness of Andaman and Nicobar Command
He had arrived in Port Blair to review the operational preparedness of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC). In his address to the defence officers and jawans, he raised the border standoff with China and lauded the bravery of Indian soldiers from Galwan in Ladakh to Yangtse in Arunachal Pradesh.
During his two-day visit, Singh held a high-level meeting with Lt Gen Ajai Singh, the 16th Commander-in-Chief Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN) to get a first-hand report of the overall operational situation and military surveillance.
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Defence Minister visits ANC’s Joint Operations Centre
He also visited the ANC’s Joint Operations Centre (JOC), which is the nerve centre for integrated planning for surveillance, the conduct of operations and logistics support. There are plans to extend the ANC's runways at Car Nicobar, Campbell Bay and Shibpur in North Andaman to strengthen its capabilities to handle any maritime threat, the sources added.
The ANC, established about 21 years ago, is the first tri-service theatre command of the Indian Armed Forces and is based in Port Blair. It is under the CINCAN for building synergy and cohesion between the services while defending national interests in the Andaman and Nicobar region, the defence sources added.
(With inputs from PTI)
