New Delhi, Aug 1 (UNB) - To keep an eagle eye on the region around the strategically-located Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Indian Navy commissioned its new air station INS Baaz at Campbell Bay on Tuesday.

INS Baaz is the southernmost air station of the Indian armed forces, and overlooks the crucial Malacca Strait while dominating the Six-Degree Channel, and is in keeping with India's overall policy to counter China's strategic moves in the Indian Ocean region as well as ensure security of shipping lanes, as reported by TOI earlier.

The archipelago, separated as it is by over 650 nautical miles from our mainland, offers a vital geo-strategic advantage to India, reports the Times of India.

Not only do they provide the nation with a commanding presence in the Bay of bengakl, the islands also serve as our window into East and South-East Asia,'' said Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma, after commissioning INS Baaz. INS Baaz, which will initially house Dornier naval surveillance aircraft, is currently equipped to operate light to heavy aircraft capable of short-field operations'' from a runway of about 3,500-feet.

The runway will be progressively lengthened to enable unrestricted operation of all category of aircraft including heavy ones. Apart from countering Chinese moves, the stepped-up military presence in the archipelago will provide a strong security cover to India's 600,000 sq km of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) spread out in this region, which is around 30% of the country's total EEZ of 2.01 million sq km.

The islands host India's first and only regional 'theatre command', with all Army, Navy, IAF and Coast Guard forces under one operational commander, which was created as part of the national security reforms after the 1999 Kargil conflict. But the military force-levels have remained largely static in the tri-Service command since it came into existence in October 2001.

Under the overall island development plan'' now underway, which includes new naval air station at Campbell Bay, the existing runways at Campbell Bay and Shibpur are being extended, while three more (OTR) operational turn around bases for warships are being established in the archipelago. Moreover, new airstrips will come up at Kamorta and Little Andaman, while the existing two main runways at Port Blair and Car Nicobar are also being upgraded. The Army, too, is moving to add another battalion to the 108 Mountain Brigade based there.