The Indian Navy is developing a new base with a 3 kilometre-long air strip on the island of Agalega, about 1,100 kilometres north of the main island of Mauritius, as per a new investigation by Qatari broadcaster Al-Jazeera. In 2015, India and Mauritius signed an agreement, which specified the upgrade of infrastructure to improve sea and air connectivity on the Outer Island of Mauritius. However, several island residents have expressed concerns regarding the massive scale of infrastructure development, which they say is disproportionate to their needs. The expert further reckons that such a base, if fully-operational, would increase the Indian Navy’s maritime awareness in the Indian Ocean region. India has been worried that the increasing presence of China's People's Liberation Army-Navy would pose a direct challenge to the Indian Navy’s dominance around Mauritius.

Source: The Nation August 04, 2021 05:48 UTC