Satellite images taken in January show new construction activity on and around Myanmar’s Coco Islands in the northeastern Bay of Bengal, which can be a matter of concern for India.
Myanmar’s Coco Islands is a small group of islands in the northeastern Bay of Bengal and has been the centre of geopolitical tensions in the region. The islands have reportedly been witnessing military modernisation.
Political analysts and experts have claimed that China is behind the military modernisation on the islands.
Satellite images taken in January by Maxar Technologies show new construction activity on and around the group of islands, which can be a matter of concern for India.
Chatham House, an independent policy institute headquartered in the UK, published a detailed report about the images and their geopolitical relevance.
The images by the satellite imagery firm reportedly showed two new hangars, a new causeway and what appears to be an accommodation bloc. As per the report, the freshly-built military infrastructures are visible in proximity to a freshly lengthened 2,300-metre runway and radar station.
(Image: The runway: Initially a length of 1,300m, the runway on Great Coco Island has been extended over the last decade to reach its current reported length of 2,300m.)
(Image: This satellite image shows that building work for two aircraft hangars next to the runway is being carried out. The width of the hangar appears to be close to 40 metres, limiting the list of aircraft it may eventually accommodate but opening the possibility for high-performance aircraft be stationed there. The report also mentioned that there is clear “evidence” of land-clearing efforts, visible as of late March on the southern tip of Great Coco. It indicates construction work to come in future.)
The images suggest that Myanmar may soon be intending to conduct maritime surveillance operations from Great Coco Islands.
Previously also, Myanmar faced accusations that it allowed a heavy presence of China’s PLA (People’s Liberation Army) on Coco Islands.
The most common allegation is that since the early 1990s, Naypyidaw has allowed a Chinese signals intelligence facility on the archipelago.
(Image: The causeway at the southern end of Great Coco Island can be seen under construction, connecting the tip of the main island to a neighbouring island.)
Recent trends show growing ties between China and the southeast Asian nation as the past two years of civil war in Myanmar have left it isolated internationally.
Beijing has staked a large investment in the country via the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor to access Indian Ocean sea lanes. Chatham House reported that the lanes act as a way to bypass the Strait of Malacca, which has acted as a critical sea lane for shipping destined for China’s east coast, and direct energy imports instead over land into China’s Yunnan province.
The latest militarisation could pose a significant security challenge to India and the South Asian nation seeks to counter China’s growing influence in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region.
Such military construction will also impact India’s strategic interests in the region as it poses a significant security challenge to India and its navy.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands provide India’s Eastern Fleet strategic depth in the Bay of Bengal and command approaches to the Strait of Malacca.