ABSTRACT
The chapter deals with the location and layout of the islands. It describes the debate and competing visions surrounding the economic and strategic development of the islands. It then examines the military deployment, tasks, organisation chart, force levels and development of bases on the islands. The chapter analyses the functioning of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) including speculation that the ANC may be designated as a single service command under the Navy. It provides an overall appraisal of the ANC including its implications for civil-military relations, higher defence management and the future of tri-services commands. The strategic development of the Andaman and Nicobar islands has been hindered due to competing visions. The functioning of the ANC reveals problems in India's civil-military relations and higher defence organisation. There has been a slow process of capability accretion mainly in response to fears of increased Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
