Great Nicobar Project will expand India's military capability: Major General Dhruv Katoch (Retd.) (IANS Exclusive)
New Delhi, June 9
Major General Dhruv Katoch asserted that the Great Nicobar Project will give India "leverage by having its military presence" in the Six Degree Channel on the south of the Great Nicobar, from where 90 per cent of the world's containers will pass in the future.
Also, following the breakthrough of the country's longest Zojila Tunnel on Tuesday, Dhruv Katoch said that besides serving as a strategic importance for the Indian Army, Ladakh and Kargil will now be connected with Srinagar throughout the year.
During an interaction with IANS, the former Army Major said that the Great Nicobar Project is being planned as both, an expansion of the country's military capability and as a trans-shipment port.
He noted: "The Andaman and Nicobar Islands connect Myanmar in the north and Indonesia in the south. But importantly the Ten Degree Channel goes between the Andaman and Nicobar Island."
He highlighted that through the south of the Great Nicobar runs a Six Degree Channel, which is the main shipping lane from the Indian Ocean onto the South China Sea, connecting to the Pacific Ocean.
"Therefore, 90 per cent of the world's container traffic will pass through the Six Degree Channel. This gives India leverage by having a strong military presence there," Katoch said.
He added: "We can ensure based on our own policies, a free and open Indo-Pacific. We can ensure that the shipping lanes remain free because that is also India's vital interest."
Referring to the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz during the West Asia conflict, Katoch said: "We saw how India was severely impacted. That is why the Six Degree channel is important which we have to ensure remains open because that passes through the Strait of Malacca."
Mentioning the importance of the trans-shipment port of the Great Nicobar Project, he said: "We have depth in the Great Nicobar. It is a natural habour."
He added that the trans-shipment port will reduce India's dependence on Sri Lanka and Singapore.
The former Army Major said that the environmental concerns will be taken into account while taking on the development.
"We are preserving the environment and still doing the development," he asserted.
Responding to questions over the Zojila Tunnel, Major General Katoch (retired) called the completion of the tunnel as a major milestone for the country.
"Besides the strategic significance, now Ladakh and Kargil are connected throughout the year with Srinagar. Earlier, the Army had to do winter stocking because the roads would be blocked for six months in a year. That problem is over."
He underlined that now the military logistics supply can take place throughout the year.
"It is significant for the Army troops because now if anything is required at any time of the year, it can be supplied," he said.
Major General Katoch said the tunnel is very important for Ladakh, since it was cut off from the rest of the country by road for many months during a year because Zojila used be filled with snow and the route was hazardous.
"Now with the tunnel, it will take 15-20 minutes compared to the earlier 2-3 hours. So, it is going to reduce cost and maintenance capability," he added.
Commenting on the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report, Dhruv Katoch said, "The SIPRI report has claimed that we (India) are the world's fifth largest defence expenditure but we must also remember that we are the largest population in the world. In that case, our defence expenditure is commensurate with our operational requirements."
"If India has long range missiles, we can target any part of China and we have got that nuclear capability, not that it will be used against China, but it is that China will not use it against us. That is where the deterrence comes in. It is always good to be prepared," he added.
Katoch said that as per the report, India has built a very strong triad, that is capability by the land, sea and air.
"With the triad, the deterrence becomes powerful and the very fact of a deterrence is, it prevents nuclear war," he added.
"India having this capability is not to promote but prevent nuclear war," he added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Am I the only one worried about the environmental impact on Great Nicobar? The Shompen tribe and the pristine rainforests there are irreplaceable. Major General says "we are preserving the environment," but these projects often come with a heavy price for indigenous communities. We need development, but not at the cost of our ecological heritage. 🌴
The Six Degree Channel point is brilliant. 90% of world container traffic? That's insane leverage for India. And reducing dependence on Colombo and Singapore for trans-shipment is long overdue. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
I appreciate the strategic vision, but let's not gloss over the SIPRI report part. Yes, we are the fifth largest spender, but with the world's largest population and longest borders in tough terrain, we need to ask: are we getting value for money? More transparency in defence procurement is needed, not just bigger budgets.
Zojila Tunnel in 15 minutes instead of 3 hours! As someone who served in Ladakh, I can't express what this means. Winter stocking was a nightmare - trucks stuck, supplies delayed, soldiers eating cold rations. This is a morale booster for the entire Army. Great work by BRO and all involved. 💪
Interesting take on the nuclear triad. Deterrence is a delicate balance - India's responsible posture (no first use, civilian control) is reassuring. But the mention of "targeting any part of China" feels a bit aggressive. Still, Major General's overall point about being prepared makes sense in today's world.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.