| INS Jatayu | |
|---|---|
| Minicoy,Lakshadweep Islands | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Naval station |
| Controlled by | Indian Navy |
| Open to the public | no |
| Condition | Active |
| Location | |
  INS Jatayu Location of INS Jatayu Show map of Lakshadweep INS Jatayu INS Jatayu (India) Show map of India | |
| Coordinates | 8°16′19″N73°01′17″E / 8.271900°N 73.021280°E /8.271900; 73.021280 |
| Site history | |
| Built | 2024 (2024) |
| In use | 2024–present |
| Garrison information | |
| Current commander | Commander Sudhanshu Bhardwaj |
| Occupants | Southern Naval Command |
INS Jatayu is anaval base of theSouthern Naval Command of theIndian Navy located onMinicoy island in theLakshadweep archipelago. It was commissioned on 6 March 2024.[1]
Positioned on the southernmost island of Lakshadweep, Minicoy is located between 8° 15’ to 8° 20’ N and 73° 01’ to 73° 05 E and spans 4.4 square km, includingViringili atoll. It is an autonomous oceanic island separated from the rest of Lakshadweep by theNine Degree Channel and from theMaldives by theEight Degree Channel, which overlooks crucialSea Lines of Communication (SLOC).[2][3] To boost its role in India's maritime security, in the early 1980s, a Naval Detachment Minicoy was established under the operational command of the Naval Officer-in-Charge (Lakshadweep).[4][5]
In March 2024, the detachment was elevated to a naval base to support the Indian Navy's operations concerninganti-piracy and anti-narcotics domains in theArabian Sea. The base was equipped with requisite infrastructure and resources. INS Jatayu is the second naval base in Lakshadweep afterINS Dweeprakshak. The base will function under Nava Officer-in-Charge (Lakshadweep),Southern Naval Command.[4] The first Commanding Officer of the independent naval unit isCommander Vrat Baghel. Maritime Operations Center at Minicoy was also inaugurated after commissioning the base.[6]
According to the reports, the base is expected to provide comparable capabilities in the Arabian Sea, mirroring the role ofINS Baaz located in theAndaman and Nicobar Islands in the eastern region.[7]
TheIndian Air Force is also building anair base on the island to support the operations from here as of December 2025.[8]
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