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]
| INS Jatayu | |
|---|---|
| Minicoy, Lakshadweep Islands | |
  INS Jatayu Location of INS Jatayu  INS Jatayu INS Jatayu (India) | |
| Coordinates | 8°16′19″N 73°01′17″E / 8.271900°N 73.021280°E |
| Type | Naval station |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Indian Navy |
| Site history | |
| Built | 2024 |
| In use | 2024–present |
| Garrison information | |
| Occupants | Southern Naval Command |
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]