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- Shekhar Gupta’s Column: It Has Become Imperative That We Protect Our Eastern Seas
7 hours ago
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Shekhar Gupta, Editor-in-Chief, ‘The Print’
Tomorrow, when the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor will be celebrated, we can get to hear and read many stories of the bravery of the Indian Army in those 87 hours. But we should also consider what kind of battles we may have to fight in the future. We should look at our geographical expanse from west to east.
At present there seems to be peace on our eastern border, but this situation may change. Remember what claims Field Marshal Asim Munir had made in his speech in Florida on 9 August 2025.
He had said that next time Pakistan will start the fight from the Eastern Front because that is where India has established its valuable resources! Now open the map and look at that area. What do you see on our 3,416 km long eastern seaboard?
There is Bangladesh’s 600 km long maritime boundary along the Bay of Bengal, followed by Myanmar’s 2,227 km long maritime boundary. Then there is Thailand. From this, the Andaman Sea in the south takes you to the Pacific Ocean through the Strait of Malacca. Of these, Bangladesh and especially Myanmar may come under the influence of China.
And if Thailand ever decides to implement its intention to dig a canal across the narrowest 50 km land strip of the Kra Isthmus, where its southern border joins the Malay Peninsula, then the time for ships to reach the Andaman Sea from the Pacific Ocean will be reduced by three days.
Moreover, it would weaken the status of the Malacca Strait as a strategic pressure zone. Making this idea a reality would cost $55 billion, which makes it seem like a pipe dream, but it also has a lot of potential. That is why this idea has persisted for the last 350 years.
This idea came into limelight in October 2023, when Thailand’s then Prime Minister Shrettha Thavisin casually mentioned it at the ‘BRI’ forum in Beijing and it was recorded on cameras.
After this, you will not be late in thinking that if this project ever turns into reality, it will be with the help of China and maybe China may even become its owner. This will put India’s busy eastern seaboard, its coastal cities and industrial areas in China’s target. The Pacific Ocean will come dangerously close to India.
History tells us and it has been natural that India has been facing threats from the west and north from Pakistan and China. Less attention has been paid to the East. There has been a lot of discussion about ‘Quad’ and the advantage gained due to the Strait of Malacca, but from the psychological point of view India has been confident about the East.
This is the reason why our Army and Air Force have been keeping an eye on the North and West only. Even the Navy’s focus has been on the West. Geography has given India everything it needs for its security. The Andaman and Nicobar islands in the east are like aircraft carriers that can never be sunk. They can become bases for ships, submarines, fighter and reconnaissance aircraft.
With long range and refueling facilities, India can maintain surveillance over the entire Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea and beyond. This makes Great Nicobar Island the last area to our south that becomes a unique strategic location. Rahul Gandhi had gone there to protest against the construction of a multipurpose city and port. Actually, there is a plan to build a huge military base there.
The plan is mired in a miscalculation of the possibility of containing China in the Strait of Malacca. The Strait of Malacca is located between powerful independent countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. To close it, India will have to be as careless as Iran is with Hormuz, as it will hamper friends and enemies – Japan, South Korea and Russia.
India can take such a risk only when it is truly desperate. Therefore, it is easier to keep an eye on the islands, especially Great Nicobar, as the shield of the country. If developed wisely and patiently, they can provide the same security to Eastern India that the Himalayas provide to North India. This project has now started. Think, can something new emerge in the next 10-15 years?
- Today, when anger and distrust against Bangladesh is at its peak on pro-establishment social media, all I would say is think about the east, think about the eastern seaboard and increase your strength and keep an eye on those islands.
(These are the author’s own views)
