Port Blair, Oct 8: A quarter-century after it was born as India’s first experiment in jointness, the Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC) has come to symbolise the country’s eastern maritime shield — guarding a 572-island chain at the gateway of the Malacca Strait and anchoring India’s presence in the Indo-Pacific.
At the 25th-anniversary commemoration this week, the Commander-in-Chief, ANC (CINCAN) Vice Admiral Ajay Kochar
described the command’s evolution as “a journey from a frontier outpost to a credible integrated force capable of protecting national sovereignty and contributing to regional stability.”
Raised in 2001 as India’s only Integrated Operational Command, ANC brought the Army, Navy and Air Force under a single operational umbrella. It began with skeletal assets and a largely surveillance role. Today, the command operates warships, maritime patrol aircraft, amphibious brigades, radars, missile batteries and forward island bases, allowing India to watch over vital sea lanes and respond swiftly to security challenges.
CINCAN emphasised that jointness remains ANC’s core strength, enabling seamless disaster relief, rapid mobilisation in crises and round-the-clock protection of sea lanes through the Six-Degree and Ten-Degree Channels — arteries of global shipping.
The command has been central to humanitarian and disaster-relief operations — from the 2004 tsunami to cyclones and medical evacuations — underscoring its dual role as a combat arm and humanitarian lifeline for the region.
Defence officials at the event said the ANC’s presence is key to deterring grey-zone threats, illegal fishing, trafficking and maritime crime, and reflects India’s shift from a continental to a blue-water security vision.
While acknowledging achievements, the CINCAN noted the need for further infrastructure upgrades, longer-range air and naval platforms and enhanced surveillance systems to keep pace with regional challenges. “The ANC stands ready not just to defend these islands but to help keep the Indo-Pacific open, stable and rules-based,” he said.
As it steps into its next quarter-century, the ANC’s journey from humble beginnings to a robust integrated command underscores how India’s far-flung islands have been transformed into a strategic power post safeguarding national sovereignty and regional maritime stability.
