2 years after PM's Lakshadweep visit, tourism expands, Navy strengthens presence

Lakshadweep is seeing parallel growth in tourism projects, connectivity works and naval facilities. The shift is tying the islands more closely to India's economic and maritime security plans.

In Short

• New resorts, homestays and heli-services are part of the islands' tourism plans
• Agatti airfield expansion and a new Minicoy airfield target dual use
• INS Jatayu in Minicoy has widened surveillance reach in western Arabian waters

Two years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's snorkelling pictures from Lakshadweep triggered a nationwide tourism debate, the coral islands are witnessing another transformation, this time on the ground. Tourism infrastructure is expanding, connectivity projects are taking shape and the Indian Navy is strengthening its presence across the strategically placed archipelago.

From Agatti and Kavaratti to Minicoy and Bitra, India Today's ground report tracked the changes across the islands, where tourism and national security are increasingly intersecting.

Lakshadweep comprises 36 coral islands spread across the Arabian Sea, around 220 to 440 km off the Kochi coast. Only 10 of these islands are inhabited: Kavaratti, Agatti, Amini, Kadmat, Kiltan, Chetlat, Bitra, Andrott, Kalpeni and Minicoy.

For decades, access to the islands remained limited, with Agatti's small airstrip and ships providing the main links to the mainland. That landscape is now changing, with new infrastructure projects aimed at improving connectivity, supporting tourism and strengthening the islands' strategic role.

TOURISM PUSH MEETS INFRASTRUCTURE EXPANSION

PM Modi's January 2024 visit put Lakshadweep at the centre of a fierce tourism debate, with his pictures from the islands going viral and sparking calls to explore the Indian archipelago.

Since then, the focus on tourism has been accompanied by plans for new resorts, homestays and improved connectivity, including heli-connectivity.

The administration's current tourism push is also unfolding alongside major infrastructure projects. The Centre has approved expansion of the Agatti airfield and construction of a new airfield at Minicoy. The projects are designed to accommodate both civil and military operations, with the government saying they will improve connectivity and operational flexibility while also supporting tourism and the local economy.

NAVY EXPANDS FOOTPRINT IN LAKSHADWEEP

The transformation is not limited to tourism.

The Navy's presence in Lakshadweep has expanded significantly with the commissioning of INS Jatayu at Minicoy on March 6, 2024, just two months after Modi's visit.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar commissioned the naval unit, turning the existing Naval Detachment Minicoy into an independent naval base. The Navy said the move would strengthen its operational reach and surveillance capability in the region, while supporting anti-piracy and anti-narcotics operations in the western Arabian Sea.

Minicoy is Lakshadweep's southernmost island and sits close to important sea routes in the Indian Ocean. The Navy has described the island's location as strategically important because it lies along vital sea lines of communication.

Before INS Jatayu was commissioned, the Navy's established base in Lakshadweep was INS Dweeprakshak at Kavaratti. The Minicoy base has now given the force another permanent footprint in the archipelago.

WHY LAKSHADWEEP MATTERS STRATEGICALLY

The islands sit along maritime routes connecting the Middle East and Southeast Asia, giving them importance beyond tourism.

Officials point to maritime security concerns, including piracy in waters west of India and the growing strategic significance of the Indian Ocean Region.

The Navy's expanded presence is intended to improve surveillance and response capability in the region. The government has also linked the development of airfields in Lakshadweep to both defence requirements and civilian connectivity.

In March 2024, INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya were deployed off Lakshadweep during the Navy's Commanders Conference, underscoring the operational importance being attached to the island territory.

BITRA COULD GET THIRD NAVAL FOOTPRINT

Further north, Bitra, the smallest inhabited island in Lakshadweep, could become another point of India's expanding security footprint.

With a population of around 200, Bitra is now being examined for a possible forward operating base. Sources said a Social Impact Assessment is underway for acquiring land for the proposed facility.

The proposed naval presence is aimed at addressing surveillance gaps in northern Lakshadweep and increasing the Navy's operational reach.

But the possibility has also raised concerns among locals.

People on the island see the potential for more jobs and improved medical facilities if a full naval base comes up, while there are also concerns about possible displacement in an ecologically fragile atoll.

DUAL-USE INFRASTRUCTURE TAKES SHAPE

The developments in Lakshadweep increasingly reflect a dual-use approach, with infrastructure being planned to serve both civilian and defence requirements.

The expansion of the Agatti airfield and the proposed Minicoy airfield are part of this approach. The government has said the facilities will accommodate military operations as well as civil aircraft, improving connectivity with the mainland while supporting the armed forces' logistical and operational requirements.

The Minicoy project also fits into the wider expansion of infrastructure across the islands, where better connectivity is expected to support tourism and economic activity.

For the Navy, the same connectivity can provide logistical support and improve access to strategically important waters.

TWO YEARS ON, A DIFFERENT LAKSHADWEEP

The Lakshadweep seen on the ground today is increasingly different from the islands that drew national attention after Modi's viral pictures in January 2024.

Tourism remains a major part of the transformation, but it is unfolding alongside a much larger infrastructure and security push.

From Agatti's expanding airfield to the naval base at Minicoy and the proposed footprint at Bitra, the islands are being connected more closely to India's mainland infrastructure and maritime security network.

The result is a Lakshadweep where the holiday destination and strategic outpost are increasingly becoming part of the same story.

- Ends