New Delhi: India is going to take a major step in expanding its maritime footprint deep into the Indian Ocean when at 1 o’clock today Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth launch the much-awaited Agalega airstrip and a jetty which can dock a warship. The Agalega airstrip, as well as the jetty, will not only provide maritime domain awareness to both Mauritius and India but also allow operational turnaround for Indian Navy warships while on missions of the Eastern Seaboard of Africa as well as the South West Indian Ocean. The airstrip can land a Boeing P-8I multimission aircraft and the jetty can dock either a destroyer or a frigate of the Indian Navy
The airstrip is 3 km long and can even handle heavy-lift C-17, medium-lift IL-76 and C-130 Hercules, and Boeing P-8I surveillance and anti-submarine warfare.
It is understood that as many as 50 officers and personnel of the Indian Navy are already stationed at this strategic island with both countries having plans to further augment the manpower strength at the Agalega islands.
India’s efforts to strengthen its maritime capabilities extend beyond Agalega. With the establishment of a maritime support base in Duqm port, Oman, and plans to set up an air support facility in north Agalega Islands, India aims to enhance maritime domain awareness and coastal security for friendly nations in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), particularly in light of China’s expanding presence in the area.
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