Joint access to Andaman and Nicobar islands and Cocos island offers a chance to extend patrols and strategic ties.

By Darshana Baruah

As India and Australia prepare for a virtual summit next month between prime ministers amid the coronavirus pandemic, a possible strategic initiative could involve the cooperative use of their respective island territories in the Indian Ocean for strategic purposes. India’s Andaman and Nicobar islands and Australia’s Cocos (Keeling) islands are well-positioned to offer significant advantages for both countries.

The National Security College, with the support of the Department of Defence, is leading a two-year research project on Australia’s Indo-Pacific strategy in the Indian Ocean. As a part of this project, this paper analyses the potential for cooperation between India and Australia, including mutual access to Andaman, Nicobar and Cocos islands. This paper first appeared on the Lowy Institute’s ‘The Interpreter’ on 22 May 2020.

This publication originally appeared in The Interpreter.