India possesses a coastline of 7,516.6 kilometers, which includes 5,422.6 kilometers of mainland coastline and 2,094 kilometers of island territories. The country’s maritime geography is anchored by two major island groups: the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal and the Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea. These offshore assets extend India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to over 2 million square kilometers, providing deep geopolitical leverage, resource security, and oversight over critical global Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs).
The Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago
Geographical and Geological Structure
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands consist of an island chain comprising 572 islands, islets, and rocks, of which approximately 38 are permanently inhabited. Geologically, these islands are an emergent northward extension of the Arakan Yoma mountain range of Myanmar.
- The Andaman Group: Divided into North, Middle, South, and Little Andaman. The Baratang Island features unique mud volcanoes, while Barren Island hosts the only active volcano in South Asia. Narcondam Island is a dormant volcanic island.
- The Nicobar Group: Separated from the Andaman group by the 10 Degree Channel (10° N latitude). It comprises Car Nicobar, Little Nicobar, and Great Nicobar. Indira Point, located on Great Nicobar Island at 6°45′ N latitude, is the southernmost point of Indian territory.
Strategic and Geopolitical Significance
The archipelago sits astride the western entry point to the Strait of Malacca, a choke point through which a significant portion of global trade and energy supplies pass.
- The Six Degree Channel: Also known as the Great Channel, this waterway separates Great Nicobar Island from the Aceh province of Indonesia and serves as a vital shipping lane for vessels transiting between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
- Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC): Established in 2001 at Port Blair, this is India’s first and only operational tri-services theater command. It integrates the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard to counter maritime piracy, illegal fishing, and assert regional maritime dominance.
- Great Nicobar Development Project: A holistic development plan aimed at constructing an International Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) at Galathea Bay, a strategic airport, and a power plant to position India as a major hub in East Asian trade networks.
The Lakshadweep Archipelago
Geographical and Geological Structure
Located in the Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep is India’s smallest Union Territory, consisting of 36 islands covering a total land area of just 32 square kilometers. Unlike the Andaman chain, these are coral islands formed on the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge, an underwater volcanic mountain range.
- Amindivi and Laccadive Sub-groups: The northern islands form the Amindivi group, while the central islands form the Laccadive group.
- The 9 Degree Channel: Separates the main Lakshadweep archipelago from Minicoy Island, which is the southernmost island of the territory.
- The 8 Degree Channel: Separates Minicoy Island from the independent Maldives archipelago.
Strategic and Geopolitical Significance
Lakshadweep safeguards India’s western maritime flank, offering proximity to the crucial SLOCs originating from the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea.
- INS Jatayu: Commissioned on Minicoy Island, this naval base upgrades India’s operational surveillance capabilities close to the Maldives and enhances operational reach during Anti-Piracy and Counter-Narcotics operations.
- INS Dweeprakshak: Located at Kavaratti, it provides critical logistics and radar surveillance support for the Indian Navy in the Arabian Sea.
Other Key Offshore Islands of Strategic Importance
Wheeler Island (Abdul Kalam Island)
Situated off the coast of Odisha in the Bay of Bengal, this island serves as the primary missile testing facility for India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). Its isolated location ensures safety and telemetry efficiency during long-range ballistic and cruise missile trials.
Sriharikota Island
Located in the Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, this barrier island separates the Pulicat Lake from the Bay of Bengal. It houses the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), India’s premier spaceport operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Its proximity to the equator and east-coast positioning leverage the Earth’s rotation for eastward satellite launches.
New Moore Island (Purbasha)
A small uninhabited sandbar island in the Bay of Bengal that emerged in the aftermath of the 1970 Bhola cyclone near the mouth of the Hariabhanga river. It was a subject of territorial dispute between India and Bangladesh. The dispute was formally resolved in 2014 by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which awarded the maritime zone containing the submerged remains of the island to Bangladesh.
Sagar Island
Located in the Ganges delta, at the continental shelf of the Bay of Bengal, this island controls the maritime approach to the Kolkata and Haldia port systems. It holds both immense cultural value and strategic economic significance for trade routing into landlocked neighboring countries like Bhutan and Nepal.
Strategic Waterways and Maritime Channels of India
| Channel / Strait | Geographical Separation | Strategic Significance |
| 8 Degree Channel | Minicoy Island (India) and Maldives | Monitors maritime traffic entering the Indian Ocean from western choke points. |
| 9 Degree Channel | Minicoy Island and Main Lakshadweep Group | Key domestic commercial shipping route within India’s EEZ. |
| 10 Degree Channel | Andaman Group and Nicobar Group | Bisects the Bay of Bengal island chain; critical for monitoring the Andaman Sea. |
| Coco Channel | North Andaman Island and Coco Islands (Myanmar) | Proximate to Myanmar’s maritime boundary; high surveillance priority regarding foreign intelligence activities. |
| Duncan Passage | South Andaman and Little Andaman | Vital internal passage within the Andaman archipelago for naval maneuvers. |
| Palk Strait | Tamil Nadu (India) and Mannar District (Sri Lanka) | Shallow strait hosting Ram Setu; critical for coastal security and small-vessel navigation between the Gulf of Mannar and the Bay of Bengal. |
| Great Channel (6 Degree Channel) | Great Nicobar and Sumatra (Indonesia) | Direct access route to the Malacca Strait; witnesses the highest density of global oil tanker transit. |
Maritime Security Architectures and Geopolitical Initiatives
Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)
An overarching doctrine enunciated by India to deepen economic and security cooperation with its maritime neighbors. Under SAGAR, offshore islands act as logistics hubs for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations and joint maritime patrolling.
Coordinated Patrols (CORPAT)
The Indian Navy routinely conducts bilateral CORPATs from its island bases with regional navies—including Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Myanmar—to combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, maritime terrorism, and piracy.
National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) Project
An integrated intelligence network designed to track vessels in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) located at Gurugram collates data from coastal radar chains installed along the mainland and offshore islands like Andaman and Lakshadweep to establish a comprehensive Common Operational Picture.
Last Modified: June 9, 2026