The Great Coco group of islands are located nearly 400 km south of the city of Yangon in Myanmar

Is China Building 'Spy Base' Near Andamans? New Military Infra On Coco Islands And What It Mean

Myanmar has denied any military facilities built by China on Great Coco Islands, situated near Andamans. But the denial can be taken seriously only when Indian inspectors are allowed to visit the area

Implications for India Satellite images show military infra on Myanmar great coco islands near Andamans China hand suspected Militarisation Of Coco Islands Near Andamans: What It Means For India Amid Chinese 'Spy Base' Suspicion.

The recent revelation by British think tank Chatham House has created ripples in the Bay of Bengal. The reported discovery through satellite images of a new expanded runway and aircraft hangars along with surveillance facilities on the Great Coco islands were probably known to the Indian security establishment, and hence the Myanmar military junta, known as Tatmadaw, was warned that any such military infrastructure would not be taken lightly.

During the civilian National League for Democracy regime led by Aung San Suu Kyi, India had tried to get closer to the Myanmar military, which resulted in the country accepting Indian Kilo class submarine, which was inducted into the Myanmar Navy in December 2020. As India hoped to develop closer military ties with Myanmar, it raised hackles in the Chinese security establishment. The operation of a submarine is a complex process, which leads to dependence on its source country. However, this prized gift from India could not dissuade Myanmar military junta from secretly offering base facilities on its Great Coco Group of Islands to the Chinese, which first raised concerns in the Indian strategic circles during the nineties when there were reports of China setting up radar facility. The then military rulers probably heeded India’s warnings, and assured Indian interlocutors that the country would not allow its islands to be used against Indian security interests. In fact, Indian naval observers were allowed to visit Myanmar to see for themselves if there were any naval surveillance facility worth the name. The Chinese designs were then thwarted by India. However, the Chinese seem to have revived the idea of restoring the Great Coco islands as a spy base, along with Little Coco Islands as its military outpost right on the mouth of Indian maritime waters, near the Andaman sea.

When Indian officials confronted the Myanmar regime with the satellite pictures of new infrastructure coming up on the Great Coco Islands, situated only 45 kms away from last Indian island of Andaman and Nicobar chain, they flatly denied any such development being undertaken by the Chinese. This denial can be taken seriously only when Indian inspectors are allowed to visit the Coco group of Islands, as done earlier in the beginning of this century.

How Feb 2021 Takeover of Myanmar By Military Junta Helped China

Recent developments on the Great Coco Islands can definitely be attributed to the military takeover of Myanmar. The February 2021 coup in Naypyidaw has come as a boon for China. The ruling National League For Democracy was proving to be a big obstruction in Chinese strategic ambitions to lay a strategic siege around the Bay of Bengal to observe and restrict Indian military activities. The dethronement of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi by Commander in Chief of defence forces Min Aung Hlaing has enabled the Chinese military to tighten their grip over the military junta, which is facing huge rebellion from the masses.

The brutal way of dealing with the anti-government agitationists has attracted widespread condemnation, which has led to its worldwide isolation and resulted in its over-dependence on Chinese military and economic support. In fact, there is a perception in the strategic circles that the military coup was engineered on the Chinese provocation and backing, as the military leaders of the Buddhist country would be easy to manipulate for its foreign and security policy. The Aung San Suu Kyi regime was proving to be unhelpful in the Chinese design to mark its presence in the Bay of Bengal region to keep an eye over Indian military activities. In fact, during Aung San regime, India and Myanmar developed strong bonds, though the Myanmar leader was cautious in getting too close to India in order not to antagonise its giant neighbour. However, many of Chinese big-ticket projects in Myanmar were either cancelled or kept under abeyance because her regime heeded the demands of local people opposing Chinse projects. Now, the Myanmar military requires weapons to crush the rebellion in the country, and the Chinese are happily extending such support in lieu of raw materials.

Over last two years, much water has flown in the river Irrawaddy as the Chinese have tightened its stranglehold over the Myanmar military junta. In the background of international outrage against the air attack on the Burmese protesters, the survival of military junta depends on Chinese backing. The entire world condemned the air action but the Chinese government kept mum.