India keeps watch on developments concerning its security, says MEA on militarisation of Myanmar’s Coco Islands

Arindam Bagchi, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responded to the militarization of Myanmar’s Coco Islands by saying that India keeps a close eye on all events affecting India’s security. And India takes all necessary precautions to protect it.

Arindam Bagchi, speaking to the media on Thursday, declared unequivocally that India keeps a close eye on all developments affecting national security. The Burma Islands in the Bay of Bengal have long been the focus of geopolitical intrigue, according to an MEA official. It is claimed that Myanmar has authorized a Chinese signals intelligence facility on the Coco Islands since the early 1990s.

According to recent reports, satellite images of the Coco Islands have caused India to be concerned about rising activity. With the Coco Island expansions, India may soon face a new airbase nearby in a country that is becoming increasingly dependent on China.

The Tatmadaw’s fortification of the Coco Islands, combined with greater Chinese activities inland, might represent a huge security risk to India and its navy. According to Chatham House research, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands provide strategic depth for India’s Eastern Fleet in the Gulf of Bengal and command approaches the Malacca Strait.

Speaking on the issue, Arindam Bagchi said without naming anyone, “India keeps a constant watch on all developments bearing India’s security and takes all necessary measures to safeguard the same.”

Beijing has made a significant investment in Myanmar in order to gain access to Indian Ocean maritime routes. Myanmar has been isolated internationally throughout the last two years of civil war, with the military regime known as the Tatmadaw becoming increasingly vulnerable. According to Chatham House, Beijing has staked a large investment in the country through the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor to access Indian Ocean sea lanes as a way to bypass the Strait of Malacca, which has served as a critical sea lane for shipping destined for China’s east coast, and instead direct energy imports over land into China’s Yunnan province.