The Indian Navy commissioned INS Jatayu on Wednesday at Minicoy Island in the Lakshadweep archipelago, marking its second base in Lakshadweep, alongside INS Dweeprakshak in Kavaratti. This development aligns with a broader initiative to enhance India’s surveillance and security infrastructure in strategic locations near the Nine Degree Channel, which is vital to maritime traffic entering and exiting the Arabian Sea.
Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar highlighted the importance of the region, noting that the establishment aims to significantly improve maritime domain awareness (MDA). “This is very close to the Nine Degree channel, so a lot of the maritime traffic flows both into and out of the Arabian Sea. We hope to substantially improve our understanding… of the traffic that is flowing through it,” Admiral Kumar stated.
The commissioning of INS Jatayu not only aims to bolster naval operations but also to enhance infrastructure on Minicoy Island. Plans are in place to upgrade the jetty infrastructure, enabling the docking of larger vessels and enhancing connectivity and rapid response capabilities.
The ceremony was attended by key dignitaries, including Vice Admiral V. Srinivas and Vice Admiral Sanjay J. Singh, as well as Lakshadweep Administrator Praful K. Patel.
Admiral Kumar referenced the Navy’s proactive approach in the region, noting its involvement in anti-drone and anti-piracy operations to protect merchant traffic. “The Navy had responded with ‘alacrity,’ assuming an ‘assertive posture’ in the west and north Arabian Sea,” he said.
During the commissioning ceremony, a Guard of Honour was presented to Admiral Kumar. Following traditional practices, the first Commanding Officer, Commander Vrat Baghel, recited an invocation in Sanskrit and read the commissioning warrant, culminating in the unveiling of the commissioning plaque and the hoisting of the Naval Ensign to the national anthem.
INS Jatayu will operate under the control of the Naval Officer in Charge (Lakshadweep), within the Southern Naval Command.
Additionally, on the same day, the Indian Navy commissioned its first MH-60R multi-role helicopter squadron, INAS 334 ‘Seahawks’, at Kochi. Commanded by Captain M. Abhisheik Ram, the squadron consists of 48 officers and 170 personnel. The ceremony featured a spectacular fly-past by the Seahawks and a water cannon salute.
India secured 24 MH-60Rs in a $2.4 billion deal in February 2020 through the U.S. government’s foreign military sales program. Of these, six helicopters have so far been delivered, with completion of deliveries anticipated by 2025. Indian aircrew have undergone extensive training at Naval Air Station, North Island, San Diego, since June 2021. Since receiving its first two helicopters on July 29, 2022, the squadron has logged over 1,100 flight hours.
