Located about 535 km south of Port Blair, it is also close to the Malacca Strait

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Friday inaugurated the resurfaced and upgraded runway at the Indian Air Force’s Car Nicobar air base in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, significantly enhancing operational capability.

The apron area – where planes can be parked – has been expanded to ensure smoother aircraft movement. Now, multiple aircraft can be parked, refuelled and turned around faster in the area, accelerating the operational tempo.

Facilities have also been created to allow basing of the Sukhoi 30MKI jets. These jets can be armed with the BrahMos missile with a 500-km range, expanding the envelope of operations. Besides, the resurfacing allows planes with heavy cargo to operate. Upgraded storage facilities will also result in improved logistics support, and supporting infrastructure to sustain prolonged air operations.

The upgraded runway would strengthen India’s strategic posture as Car Nicobar is located about 535 km south of Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram) and is close to the Malacca Strait. More than 96,000 vessel cross through the Malacca annually (a daily average of 260 ships), estimates the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

The Air Force Station on Car Nicobar is situated in the northern Nicobar Islands and comes under the Andaman and Nicobar Command, which is India’s only tri-service theatre command integrating the assets of the Army, Navy and Air Force in a single structure.

Separately, India has formally initiated the process to make a second airfield at the strategically located Great Nicobar island, the country’s southern-most territory overlooking Straits of Malacca.

There existing operational Naval air base named INS Baaz at Campbell Bay on the Great Nicobar island is being expanded. The base has facilities to operate special operations planes, C-130 J, of the Indian Air Force, the Airbus C-295 and also maritime surveillance planes, the Dornier’s.

The Navy has another air base at Sri Vijay Puram and there are expansion plans for a runway at navy base INS Kohassa, Shibpur North Andaman, to accommodate larger military aircraft, along with new ammunition dumps and capacity upgrades for fighter jets.