View: Cable linking Andamans strengthens India’s strategic outreach to Indo-Pacific

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday gave a significant push to Delhi’s Indian Ocean policy and Indo-Pacific vision when he inaugurated a 2,312 km long submarine optic fibre cable linking Chennai and Andaman and Nicobar Islands — a key pillar in India’s strategic outreach amid China’s growing ambitions in the region.

“The Indian Ocean has been the centre of India’s trade and strategic prowess for thousands of years. Now that India is following the new policy and practice of trade and cooperation in Indo-Pacific, the importance of our islands including Andaman and Nicobar has increased further. Under the Act-East policy, Andaman and Nicobar’s role in India’s strong relations with East Asian countries and other countries associated with the sea is crucial and it is going to increase,” Modi asserted during the video address as he inaugurated the cable link to the strategically located islands.