INS Jatayu

Indian naval base

8°16′19″N 73°01′17″E / 8.271900°N 73.021280°E / 8.271900; 73.021280TypeNaval stationSite informationControlled byIndian NavySite historyBuilt2024 (2024)In use2024–presentGarrison informationOccupantsSouthern Naval Command

INS Jatayu is a naval base of the Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy located on Minicoy island in the Lakshadweep archipelago. It was commissioned on 6 March 2024.^[1]

History

Positioned on the southernmost island of Lakshadweep, Minicoy, located between 8° 15’ to 8° 20’ N and 73° 01’ to 73° 05 E, spans 4.4 square km, including Viringili atoll. It is an autonomous oceanic island separated from the rest of Lakshadweep by the Nine Degree Channel and from the Maldives by the Eight Degree Channel, which overlooks crucial sea lines of communication.^[2]^[3]^{[better source needed]} To boost its role in India's maritime security, in the early 1980s, a naval detachment was established at Minicoy under the operational command of the naval officer-in-charge (Lakshadweep).^[4]

In March 2024, the detachment was elevated to a naval base to support the Indian Navy's operations concerning anti-piracy and anti-narcotics domains in the Arabian Sea.^[5]

According to the reports, the base is expected to provide comparable capabilities in the Arabian Sea, mirroring the role of INS Baaz located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the eastern region.^[6]

References

^ Bureau, BL New Delhi (2024-03-02). "Navy to commission a new base INS Jatayu on Minicoy Island on March 6". BusinessLine. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
^ Sailing Directions (enroute) for India and the Bay of Bengal (7th ed.). Defense Mapping Agency, Hydrographic Center, National Imagery and Mapping Agency. 2002. p. 104.
^ Kulshrestha, Sanatan; Guhathakurta, Rahul. "Proactive Defense Infrastructure Planning of Indian Island Territories". IndraStra Global. ISSN 2381-3652. OCLC 923297365. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
^ Deshpande, Smruti (2024-03-03). "Navy to enhance operational capability with commissioning of INS Jatayu at Lakshadweep's Minicoy Island". ThePrint. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
^ "INDIAN NAVY TO ENHANCE ITS OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY WITH COMMISSIONING OF INS JATAYU AT MINICOY ISLAND (LAKSHADWEEP)". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
^ Negi, Manjeet. "New Navy base in Lakshadweep soon for 'better coverage of Indian Ocean'". India Today. Retrieved 2024-03-03.

Indian Navy

Leadership

Minister of Defence
Chief of the Naval Staff
Vice Chief of the Naval Staff
FOCs-in-C (Naval Commanders)
DCNS
COP
COM
FOCWF
FOCEF
FOMA
FOGNA
FOK
FOTNA
FODAG
FOSM
FOST
ACNS
Serving admirals
Navy MCPO

Components
and
Commands

Naval Commands

Operational	Western Naval Command Eastern Naval Command Southern Naval Command
Joint	Andaman and Nicobar Command Strategic Forces Command Defence Cyber Agency Defence Space Agency Armed Forces Special Operations Division

Fleets

Western Fleet
Eastern Fleet

Bases

New Delhi	INS India
Western Naval Command	INS Dwarka INS Sardar Patel INS Kadamba INS Vajrakosh INHS Patanjali INS Gomantak INS Hansa INHS Jeevanti INS Angre INS Abhimanyu INS Agnibahu INHS Asvini INS Kunjali INS Shikra INS Tanaji INS Trata INS Tunir INS Vajrabahu
Southern Naval Command	INS Dweeprakshak INS Minicoy INS Androth INS Bitra INS Garuda INHS Sanjivani INS Venduruthy INS Dronacharya INS Chilka INHS Nivrani INS Mandovi INS Hamla INS Shivaji INHS Kasturi INS Valsura INS Agrani INS Zamorin INS Satavahana INS Vishwakarma INS Jatayu
Eastern Naval Command	INS Circars INS Dega INS Virbahu INHS Kalyani INS Kalinga INS Eksila INS Karna INS Adyar INS Rajali INS Parundu INS Kattabomman INS Tuticorin INS Netaji Subhash INS Paradip INS Bhubaneswar INS Varsha
Andaman and Nicobar Command	INS Kardip INS Jarawa INS Utkrosh INS Baaz INHS Dhanvantari INS Campbell Bay INS Kohassa

Equipment

Aircraft Squadrons

Fighter	300 303
Airborne Early Warning (AEW)	339
Anti-submarine (ASW)	330 333 336
Reconnaissance	342 343 344
Maritime patrol	312 315 318 550 313
Electronic Warfare	310 311
Multirole helicopter	322 323 334 350
Search & Rescue	321
Training	551 552 561

Military Academies

Education & Training	Sainik School Armed Forces Medical College Ajmer Military School Bangalore Military School Belgaum Military School Chail Military School Dholpur Military School Rashtriya Indian Military College
Schools & Colleges	Indian Naval Academy Naval War College
Tri-Service Institutions	Defence Services Staff College National Defence Academy National Defence College College of Defence Management Military Institute of Technology