At the strategically important Minicoy island, the southernmost among the Lakshadweep archipelago, the Indian Navy has commissioned INS Jatayu, the country's newest naval base. In the long run, this facility is meant to enhance the operational reach of the Indian Navy and facilitate the Navy's anti-piracy, anti-narcotics operations in the region.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-navy-to-boost-security-set-to-commission-ins-jatayu-at-lakshadweeps-minicoy-islands-amid-male-row-696046">Indian Navy to boost security, commission INS Jatayu at Lakshadweep's Minicoy islands amid Male row</a>

Interestingly, by naming the base after a bird (Jatayu - a reference to the vulture from the Ramayana epic), the Indian establishment has clearly indicated that it intends to eventually operate air assets from this location, which is barely 150km&nbsp;away from Maldivian islands. The commissioning of INS Jatayu comes shortly after the inauguration of an airstrip and jetty that India built at Agalega, Mauritius.

The Indian Navy's presence at Minicoy, which straddles the vital Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOCs) or busy maritime highways, is not a recent development. Naval Detachment Minicoy was setup in the early 1980s.

However, with INS Jatayu being commissioned, more infrastructure, personnel and resources are to be added. Jatayu will be the Indian Navy's second base in the Lakshadweep archipelago, where the force already operates the base INS Dweeprakshak at Kavaratti, approximately 250km&nbsp;north of INS Jatayu at Minicoy.&nbsp;

<h2>Indian Naval Aviation and the legacy of naming Naval air bases after birds</h2>

For more than seven decades, the Indian Navy has been operating air assets and the country's first Naval Air Station (meant for stationing aerial assets) was established at Kochi, Kerala in 1953. Known as INS Garuda, it is the Navy's oldest air station and continues to be in active use.

The US-origin 'MH-60R' multi-role maritime helicopters procured from America will also be operating from Garuda, thereby enhancing the anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, search and rescue medical evacuation, maritime surveillance capabilities of the Indian Navy. Overall, it is a platform that can be used for both benign and offensive roles.

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INS Jatayu - India's Naval Base at Minicoy, Lakshadweep 
 
All Naval Air stations are named after birds- Parundu, Rajali, Hansa, Baaz etc. 
 
In the epic Ramayana, Jatayu(the eagle/vulture) attempts to defeat Ravana, as he abducts Sita <a href="https://t.co/6espHohHv8">pic.twitter.com/6espHohHv8</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1765251106270310792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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An interesting pattern can be observed in the naming of Indian Naval Air Stations - all of them are named after birds. 'Garuda', 'Parundu', 'Rajali', 'Dega', 'Hansa', 'Baaz', 'Shikra', 'Jatayu' etc. are all words from various Indian languages and each one of them refers to a bird species. Prefix INS to each one of them and we get the names of the Indian Naval air stations that dot the country's east and west coasts, the island territories.

Typically,&nbsp;different classes of aircraft with varying capabilities are stationed at naval air stations. For example, INS Hansa, in Dabolim, Goa, which is India's largest Naval Air station houses multiple variants - the Mig-29K deck-based fighter jets, Kamov-31 airborne early warning helicopters, P8I 'Poseidon' long range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare planes, the Dornier-228 Maritime surveillance planes, Chetak and Dhruv helicopters.&nbsp;

<h2>INS Jatayu - the possibilities and challenges&nbsp;</h2>

By naming the base as INS Jatayu, the Indian Navy has made it obvious that the facility would be eventually used as a Naval Air Station. However, there are constraints in establishing a large and full-fledged air station in this small island, which is densely populated on one side and has very little land available for such a military aviation facility.

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That's the Minicoy island where the Indian Navy has commissioned it's newest base INS Jatayu 
 
It sits at a vantage location, through which a huge volume of shipping passes...In future, INS Jatayu will be a Naval Air Station (from where aircraft will operate) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianNavy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianNavy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a> <a href="https://t.co/h5mvlanpj3">pic.twitter.com/h5mvlanpj3</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1765398241770930598?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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"I see INS Jatayu opening up possibilities in terms of Command, Control, Communications, Computers (C4) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and increasing our Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), at a time when there are increased Chinese forays in the region. Not every airfield is initially meant for large planes like the P8I and fighters like the Russian-origin Mig-29K. We must think in terms of operating helicopters, drones, unmanned surface vehicles, and even hovercrafts(given the shallow waters there)." Commodore Vasan (Retd), Director General of the Chennai Centre for China Studies (C3S) told WION. He has served both the Indian Navy and Indian Coast guard in various roles, and had been the commissioning commanding officer of the Indian Naval Air Station INS Rajali.&nbsp;

According to Commodore Vasan, the long-range planes could continue to operate from the bases on the Indian mainland and the smaller, newer platforms could operate from such island bases till they are capable of operating as full fledged air bases for both the Navy and Air Force.

He says that INS Jatayu would offer considerable coverage of the key Sea Lanes of Communications around the eight degree channel and ten degree channel (a reference to the 8th and 10th latitude and the shipping lanes along them, respectively) which witness dense traffic.

Mentioning the recent attacks by pirates and the Houthis, he says there is a need for better surveillance and response in the region. Referring to INS Jatayu in Minicoy and INS Dweeprakshak in Kavaratti, he says that the Indian Navy's reach and flexibility would be augmented, even with limited initial investments.

Watch:&nbsp;INS Jatayu: Indian Navy commission new naval base&nbsp;

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He adds that the entire Arabian sea region is a contested one, with China delivering four frigate-class warships and eight diesel-electric submarines to the Pakistani Navy, and Turkish-origin drones that would become a part of Maldives' inventory.

Notably, Maldives has taken a blatantly pro-China stance since President Muizzu came to power last year. Amid such a rivalry in the region, India is looking to make the most of the Lakshadweep and Minicoy islands on the west and the Andaman and Nicobar islands on the east, he opines.

Rear Admiral Sudhir Pillai (Retd), who served as the Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA), Indian Navy, is of the opinion that INS Jatayu is a welcome step by the Indian Navy as Naval Aviation infrastructure is further built up.

However, he highlighted that it would be extremely challenging to base aircraft on a permanent basis at an island base that will need to contend with the vagaries of southwest monsoon, the associated harsh weather conditions, and the inevitable dependence on intermediate level support infrastructure that require vast tracts of land.

"I doubt if naval aircraft that are maintenance intensive would be stationed permanently at INS Jatayu. Such basing requires infrastructure built not just to brave storms and harsh weather, but to manage the complexity that causes corrosion, etc. India does have an airstrip at Agatti, further North in the Lakshadweep islands, but is it used to permanently base aircraft?," he asks.

He believes that INS Jatayu would serve well as an Advanced Landing Ground or forward base with facilities for aircraft turnaround, servicing and related support facilities. "Essentially Jatayu would in this capacity provide for air traffic control and other basic frontline support infrastructure,"&nbsp;he concluded.

At the strategically important Minicoy island, the southernmost among the Lakshadweep archipelago, the Indian Navy has commissioned INS Jatayu, the country's newest naval base.

At the strategically important Minicoy island, the southernmost among the Lakshadweep archipelago, the Indian Navy has commissioned INS Jatayu, the country's newest naval base. In the long run, this facility is meant to enhance the operational reach of the Indian Navy and facilitate the Navy's anti-piracy, anti-narcotics operations in the region. Also read: Indian Navy to boost security, commission INS Jatayu at Lakshadweep's Minicoy islands amid Male row Interestingly, by naming the base after a bird (Jatayu - a reference to the vulture from the Ramayana epic), the Indian establishment has clearly indicated that it intends to eventually operate air assets from this location, which is barely 150km away from Maldivian islands. The commissioning of INS Jatayu comes shortly after the inauguration of an airstrip and jetty that India built at Agalega, Mauritius. The Indian Navy's presence at Minicoy, which straddles the vital Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOCs) or busy maritime highways, is not a recent development. Naval Detachment Minicoy was setup in the early 1980s. However, with INS Jatayu being commissioned, more infrastructure, personnel and resources are to be added. Jatayu will be the Indian Navy's second base in the Lakshadweep archipelago, where the force already operates the base INS Dweeprakshak at Kavaratti, approximately 250km north of INS Jatayu at Minicoy. Indian Naval Aviation and the legacy of naming Naval air bases after birds For more than seven decades, the Indian Navy has been operating air assets and the country's first Naval Air Station (meant for stationing aerial assets) was established at Kochi, Kerala in 1953. Known as INS Garuda, it is the Navy's oldest air station and continues to be in active use. The US-origin 'MH-60R' multi-role maritime helicopters procured from America will also be operating from Garuda, thereby enhancing the anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, search and rescue medical evacuation, maritime surveillance capabilities of the Indian Navy. Overall, it is a platform that can be used for both benign and offensive roles. INS Jatayu - India's Naval Base at Minicoy, Lakshadweep All Naval Air stations are named after birds- Parundu, Rajali, Hansa, Baaz etc. In the epic Ramayana, Jatayu(the eagle/vulture) attempts to defeat Ravana, as he abducts Sita pic.twitter.com/6espHohHv8 — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) March 6, 2024 × An interesting pattern can be observed in the naming of Indian Naval Air Stations - all of them are named after birds. 'Garuda', 'Parundu', 'Rajali', 'Dega', 'Hansa', 'Baaz', 'Shikra', 'Jatayu' etc. are all words from various Indian languages and each one of them refers to a bird species. Prefix INS to each one of them and we get the names of the Indian Naval air stations that dot the country's east and west coasts, the island territories. Typically, different classes of aircraft with varying capabilities are stationed at naval air stations. For example, INS Hansa, in Dabolim, Goa, which is India's largest Naval Air station houses multiple variants - the Mig-29K deck-based fighter jets, Kamov-31 airborne early warning helicopters, P8I 'Poseidon' long range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare planes, the Dornier-228 Maritime surveillance planes, Chetak and Dhruv helicopters. INS Jatayu - the possibilities and challenges By naming the base as INS Jatayu, the Indian Navy has made it obvious that the facility would be eventually used as a Naval Air Station. However, there are constraints in establishing a large and full-fledged air station in this small island, which is densely populated on one side and has very little land available for such a military aviation facility. That's the Minicoy island where the Indian Navy has commissioned it's newest base INS Jatayu It sits at a vantage location, through which a huge volume of shipping passes...In future, INS Jatayu will be a Naval Air Station (from where aircraft will operate) #IndianNavy #India pic.twitter.com/h5mvlanpj3 — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) March 6, 2024 × "I see INS Jatayu opening up possibilities in terms of Command, Control, Communications, Computers (C4) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and increasing our Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), at a time when there are increased Chinese forays in the region. Not every airfield is initially meant for large planes like the P8I and fighters like the Russian-origin Mig-29K. We must think in terms of operating helicopters, drones, unmanned surface vehicles, and even hovercrafts(given the shallow waters there)." Commodore Vasan (Retd), Director General of the Chennai Centre for China Studies (C3S) told WION. He has served both the Indian Navy and Indian Coast guard in various roles, and had been the commissioning commanding officer of the Indian Naval Air Station INS Rajali. According to Commodore Vasan, the long-range planes could continue to operate from the bases on the Indian mainland and the smaller, newer platforms could operate from such island bases till they are capable of operating as full fledged air bases for both the Navy and Air Force. He says that INS Jatayu would offer considerable coverage of the key Sea Lanes of Communications around the eight degree channel and ten degree channel (a reference to the 8th and 10th latitude and the shipping lanes along them, respectively) which witness dense traffic. Mentioning the recent attacks by pirates and the Houthis, he says there is a need for better surveillance and response in the region. Referring to INS Jatayu in Minicoy and INS Dweeprakshak in Kavaratti, he says that the Indian Navy's reach and flexibility would be augmented, even with limited initial investments. Watch: INS Jatayu: Indian Navy commission new naval base × He adds that the entire Arabian sea region is a contested one, with China delivering four frigate-class warships and eight diesel-electric submarines to the Pakistani Navy, and Turkish-origin drones that would become a part of Maldives' inventory. Notably, Maldives has taken a blatantly pro-China stance since President Muizzu came to power last year. Amid such a rivalry in the region, India is looking to make the most of the Lakshadweep and Minicoy islands on the west and the Andaman and Nicobar islands on the east, he opines. Rear Admiral Sudhir Pillai (Retd), who served as the Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA), Indian Navy, is of the opinion that INS Jatayu is a welcome step by the Indian Navy as Naval Aviation infrastructure is further built up. However, he highlighted that it would be extremely challenging to base aircraft on a permanent basis at an island base that will need to contend with the vagaries of southwest monsoon, the associated harsh weather conditions, and the inevitable dependence on intermediate level support infrastructure that require vast tracts of land. "I doubt if naval aircraft that are maintenance intensive would be stationed permanently at INS Jatayu. Such basing requires infrastructure built not just to brave storms and harsh weather, but to manage the complexity that causes corrosion, etc. India does have an airstrip at Agatti, further North in the Lakshadweep islands, but is it used to permanently base aircraft?," he asks. He believes that INS Jatayu would serve well as an Advanced Landing Ground or forward base with facilities for aircraft turnaround, servicing and related support facilities. "Essentially Jatayu would in this capacity provide for air traffic control and other basic frontline support infrastructure," he concluded.

INS Jatayu: Possibilities and challenges for India’s Naval airbase in Minicoy, Lakshadweep

Indian Navy is poised to bolster its operational prowess with the commissioning of INS Jatayu at the Minicoy islands in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, a significant stride towards fortifying security infrastructure in the wider region.&nbsp;

Set against the backdrop of strategic importance, the commissioning ceremony, presided over by Chief of the Naval Staff Adm R Hari Kumar on March 6, 2024, will herald a new chapter in naval operations.

Naval Detachment Minicoy was established in the early 1980s under the operational command of the Naval Officer-in-Charge (Lakshadweep)&nbsp;signifying&nbsp;India's commitment to enhancing maritime security in the region.

Minicoy Island lies at the southernmost end of the Lakshadweep archipelago in the Arabian Sea.&nbsp;The separation between Minicoy and Thuraakunu (the northernmost island of Maldives) spans 70 nautical miles.

Nestled as the southernmost outpost of Lakshadweep, Minicoy Island commands a pivotal position, overseeing vital Sea Lines of Communications (SLOCs).

"Basing of an independent Naval unit with requisite infrastructure and resources will enhance the overall operational capability of the Indian Navy in the islands. The base will enhance operational reach and facilitate Indian Navy’s operational effort towards &nbsp; Anti-Piracy and Anti-Narcotics Operations in Western Arabian Sea. It will also augment Indian Navy’s capability as the first responder in the region and augment connectivity with the mainland. The establishment of a Naval base is in line with the Govt of India’s focus towards comprehensive development of islands," a government release said.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/extreme-poverty-has-been-eradicated-in-india-says-report-696011">Extreme poverty has been eradicated in India, says report</a>

This development marks the second naval base in Lakshadweep after INS Dweeprakshak in Kavaratti, further consolidating India's maritime presence in the region.

By enhancing surveillance, operational reach, and sustainability, INS Jatayu will usher in an era of capacity building and holistic development of the island territories.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-bjp-leader-jayant-sinha-requests-jp-nadda-to-relieve-him-from-electoral-duties-696005">India: BJP leader Jayant Sinha requests JP Nadda to relieve him from electoral duties</a>

This event is also particularly important as tensions between India and Maldives escalated following derogatory remarks made by three Maldivian deputy ministers against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media.

Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/british-cargo-ship-rubymar-hit-by-houthi-missile-sinks-in-red-sea-696036">British cargo Ship Rubymar Hit by Houthi Missile Sinks in Red Sea</a>

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The incident led to the suspension of the ministers and triggered a diplomatic fallout between the two nations.

Newly elected Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu vowed to remove foreign military troops from the island nation. Subsequently, India confirmed that the Indian military personnel in the Maldives will be replaced&nbsp;with technical personnel, underscoring a recalibration of bilateral relations amidst geopolitical dynamics in the Indian Ocean region.

(With inputs from agencies)

Indian Navy is poised to bolster its operational prowess with the commissioning of INS Jatayu at the Minicoy islands in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, a significant stride towards fortifying security infrastructure in the wider region.

Indian Navy is poised to bolster its operational prowess with the commissioning of INS Jatayu at the Minicoy islands in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, a significant stride towards fortifying security infrastructure in the wider region. Set against the backdrop of strategic importance, the commissioning ceremony, presided over by Chief of the Naval Staff Adm R Hari Kumar on March 6, 2024, will herald a new chapter in naval operations. Naval Detachment Minicoy was established in the early 1980s under the operational command of the Naval Officer-in-Charge (Lakshadweep) signifying India's commitment to enhancing maritime security in the region. Minicoy Island lies at the southernmost end of the Lakshadweep archipelago in the Arabian Sea. The separation between Minicoy and Thuraakunu (the northernmost island of Maldives) spans 70 nautical miles. Nestled as the southernmost outpost of Lakshadweep, Minicoy Island commands a pivotal position, overseeing vital Sea Lines of Communications (SLOCs). "Basing of an independent Naval unit with requisite infrastructure and resources will enhance the overall operational capability of the Indian Navy in the islands. The base will enhance operational reach and facilitate Indian Navy’s operational effort towards Anti-Piracy and Anti-Narcotics Operations in Western Arabian Sea. It will also augment Indian Navy’s capability as the first responder in the region and augment connectivity with the mainland. The establishment of a Naval base is in line with the Govt of India’s focus towards comprehensive development of islands," a government release said. Also Read | Extreme poverty has been eradicated in India, says report This development marks the second naval base in Lakshadweep after INS Dweeprakshak in Kavaratti, further consolidating India's maritime presence in the region. By enhancing surveillance, operational reach, and sustainability, INS Jatayu will usher in an era of capacity building and holistic development of the island territories. Also Read | India: BJP leader Jayant Sinha requests JP Nadda to relieve him from electoral duties This event is also particularly important as tensions between India and Maldives escalated following derogatory remarks made by three Maldivian deputy ministers against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media. Watch | British cargo Ship Rubymar Hit by Houthi Missile Sinks in Red Sea × The incident led to the suspension of the ministers and triggered a diplomatic fallout between the two nations. Newly elected Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu vowed to remove foreign military troops from the island nation. Subsequently, India confirmed that the Indian military personnel in the Maldives will be replaced with technical personnel, underscoring a recalibration of bilateral relations amidst geopolitical dynamics in the Indian Ocean region. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian Navy to boost security, commission INS Jatayu at Lakshadweep's Minicoy islands amid Male row

&quot;I knew Maldivians will be receiving us with a warm welcome, But it was beyond expectation, It was just unbelievable,&quot; said Ibrahim Manikufaanu, the leader of a group of 26 people from the India&rsquo;s Minicoy Island, locally known as Maliku, in the union territory of Lakshadweep. The island is just off India&rsquo;s southern state of Kerala. 
 
&quot;It felt like I was on my own island, surely we do belong to one bloodline,&quot; he told WION. 
 
India&rsquo;s Maliku is like a long lost cousin of Maldives, and actually was officially a part of Maldives centuries ago. 
 
This was the first time in decades a group of Maliku people visited Maldives. The trip was arranged by a non governmental organisation (NGO) called Ihavandhoo Masveringde Gulhun (IMAGU) from Ihavandhoo, an island of a northern atoll in Maldives. The trip celebrated the NGO&rsquo;s 20th anniversary. 
 
IMAGU&rsquo;s president Adnaan Mohamed told WION that they decided to invite the people of Maliku because it&rsquo;s a dream for Maldivians to meet Malikuns.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;People from other Atolls and Islands came to Ihavandhoo just to meet these people from Maliku,&quot; he said. 
 
The Malikuns were in Maldives for a week to celebrate Eid Al Adha with Maldivians. The special visitors made the holidays extra festive. 
 
Historic ties and separation&nbsp; 
 
Minicoy is an Indian island, but is situated closer to Maldives than to any part of India. Minicoy was the northernmost atoll of the kingdom of Maldives before the mid 16th century. Since then, Maliku has fallen under Indian administrations.&nbsp; 
 
India held a plebiscite in Minicoy in 1956 to determine whether or not its people wished to join the Indian Union. The majority decided to join, and Maliku was incorporated into the Union Territory of Laccadive, renamed Lakshadweep in 1973.&nbsp; 
 
A 1970 Pakistan Times article alleged that Maldivian government officials harboured great resentment against India for not returning Minicoy Island, &quot;taken over&quot; long ago by an Indian Maharaja. Muslim inhabitants of the island were clamouring to join Maldives. 
 
Even the recent media reports says Islamabad supports Minicoy Island as being part of the Maldives, and rejected India&rsquo;s territorial claim. But both India and the Maldives seems to ignore these media reports from Pakistan press.&nbsp; 
 
In December 1976, India and Maldives signed a maritime boundary treaty under, which Minicoy was placed on the Indian side of the boundary. 
 
However, in a public speech on Maldivian independence day, 1982, the Minister of Atolls Abdulla Hameed, also the half-brother of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, claimed that Minicoy was a part of Maldives. 
 
This ambiguous statement was interpreted as an official claim over the island, and caused a minor diplomatic crisis between India and Maldives. 
 
President Gayoom had to clarify that Maldives did not intend to make a political claim over the island, and Hameed&#39;s speech only meant to highlight the linguistic, cultural, and religious ties between Maldives and Minicoy.&nbsp; 
 
In 2015, at the official function celebrating the 50th anniversary of Maldives&rsquo; independence, President Yamin Abdul Gayoom described losing Maliku as one of the dark experiences in Maldives&rsquo; history. 
 
&quot;The long history of the Maldives shows that Maliku or Minicoy was once part of the Maldives,&quot; he said. Whereas roughly the same comment ignited a diplomatic row in the 80s, this time absolutely nothing happened. 
 
Ethnographic Similarities 
 
The culture of Minicoy Island is very different from the other Indian islands of Lakshadweep. Even today, it is believed that the language, religion, ethnicity and culture of Maliku people closely resembles that of Maldives.&nbsp; 
 
Ashraf Ali, the president of the Dhivehi Bahuge Academy of Maldives (an institution that protects, promotes and develops Dhivehi language), told WION that the Maldivian people are proud that their language and way of life is connected to a culturally rich country like India. 
 
&quot;The language they use, Mahal bas, is just a dialect of Dhivehi Bas (a Maldivian language). Their culture, eating habits, language are very similar to Maldivians,&quot; he said. 
 
Ali said Indian institutions devoted to preserving Mahal Bas and Maldives provide language trainings to Manicoys. 
 
IMAGU President Mohamed said his Maldivian hosts and their Indian guests have noticed the similarities between the two during the recent trip.&nbsp;&quot;Maldivians have this bond with the people of Maliku. We did not feel like they are from some other country. Other than Maldivians they are the only people who have Maldivian language as their mother tongue.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Ibrahim Manikufaanu, who is devoted to maintaining the culture, traditions and language of Minicoy Island, said Minicoy will always resemble Maldives. &quot;Maldivian customs and traditions are still very visible in Maliku. We are from one origin, one bloodline&quot; he said. 
 
Connectivity 
 
Though the nearest island to India&rsquo;s Minicoy is the Maldivian island of Thuraanuku, the Indian government has forbidden the direct travel between the two islands since 1956, despite their geographic proximity and ethnographic similarities. A special permit from the Indian government is still needed to enter Minicoy.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;It was not easy to travel between Maliku and Maldives. We were not allowed to travel directly. We rarely meet Maldivians,&quot; Manikufaanu said. 
Difficulty visiting Maldives did not stop Minicoys from giving up Maldivian customs and traditions. Maldivian media connected Minicoys to Maldives ever since they started getting the radio signal of the Voice of Maldives, the Maldives&rsquo; state broadcaster&rsquo;s station. Manikufaanu says that over the years, Maldivian media played a huge role in Minicoy to keep Maldives alive in their heart.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Now Maliku people have access to public service broadcaster, as well as some private broadcasters, and they read the online news websites of Maldives&quot; he said.&nbsp; 
 
To make it easier to travel between Maliku and Maldives, two months ago a travel agency called Under Water Travel and Tours introduced a tour package which connects the two islands. &quot;We need a passport copy of the passenger, we get the permits from the authorities. We arrange everything,&quot; said director of Under Water Travel and Tours, Mohamed Imthiyaaz, to WION.&nbsp; 
 
Before 1956, people of Minicoy and people from Maldives&rsquo; northern atolls used to travel often across the islands. Even today, both 
Maldivians and Malikun wish to travel directly between the islands. But since 1956, the journey of few hours has become long; it takes 12 hours to reach Cochin city of the Indian state of Kerela in a ferry, and it&rsquo;s around a two hour flight to reach Ibrahim Nasir International Airport of Maldives &mdash;&nbsp;from there it will take more hours to reach the northern atolls, depending on the travel arrangements. &nbsp; 
 
However Imthiyaaz said they are trying to make direct travel possible from Maldives to Maliku in a near future. 
 
&quot;We are negotiating with both Maldivian and Indian government. We are hoping this happens soon,&quot; he said.&nbsp; 
 
This is surely long-awaited good news for both Maldivians and Minocoys. 
Hopefully soon the cultural cousins won&rsquo;t need to wait for Eid to be together again. &nbsp; 
 
(WION)

India?s Maliku is like a long lost cousin of Maldives and actually was officially a part of Maldives centuries ago

"I knew Maldivians will be receiving us with a warm welcome, But it was beyond expectation, It was just unbelievable," said Ibrahim Manikufaanu, the leader of a group of 26 people from the India’s Minicoy Island, locally known as Maliku, in the union territory of Lakshadweep. The island is just off India’s southern state of Kerala. "It felt like I was on my own island, surely we do belong to one bloodline," he told WION. India’s Maliku is like a long lost cousin of Maldives, and actually was officially a part of Maldives centuries ago. This was the first time in decades a group of Maliku people visited Maldives. The trip was arranged by a non governmental organisation (NGO) called Ihavandhoo Masveringde Gulhun (IMAGU) from Ihavandhoo, an island of a northern atoll in Maldives. The trip celebrated the NGO’s 20th anniversary. IMAGU’s president Adnaan Mohamed told WION that they decided to invite the people of Maliku because it’s a dream for Maldivians to meet Malikuns. "People from other Atolls and Islands came to Ihavandhoo just to meet these people from Maliku," he said. The Malikuns were in Maldives for a week to celebrate Eid Al Adha with Maldivians. The special visitors made the holidays extra festive. Historic ties and separation Minicoy is an Indian island, but is situated closer to Maldives than to any part of India. Minicoy was the northernmost atoll of the kingdom of Maldives before the mid 16th century. Since then, Maliku has fallen under Indian administrations. India held a plebiscite in Minicoy in 1956 to determine whether or not its people wished to join the Indian Union. The majority decided to join, and Maliku was incorporated into the Union Territory of Laccadive, renamed Lakshadweep in 1973. A 1970 Pakistan Times article alleged that Maldivian government officials harboured great resentment against India for not returning Minicoy Island, "taken over" long ago by an Indian Maharaja. Muslim inhabitants of the island were clamouring to join Maldives. Even the recent media reports says Islamabad supports Minicoy Island as being part of the Maldives, and rejected India’s territorial claim. But both India and the Maldives seems to ignore these media reports from Pakistan press. In December 1976, India and Maldives signed a maritime boundary treaty under, which Minicoy was placed on the Indian side of the boundary. However, in a public speech on Maldivian independence day, 1982, the Minister of Atolls Abdulla Hameed, also the half-brother of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, claimed that Minicoy was a part of Maldives. This ambiguous statement was interpreted as an official claim over the island, and caused a minor diplomatic crisis between India and Maldives. President Gayoom had to clarify that Maldives did not intend to make a political claim over the island, and Hameed's speech only meant to highlight the linguistic, cultural, and religious ties between Maldives and Minicoy. In 2015, at the official function celebrating the 50th anniversary of Maldives’ independence, President Yamin Abdul Gayoom described losing Maliku as one of the dark experiences in Maldives’ history. "The long history of the Maldives shows that Maliku or Minicoy was once part of the Maldives," he said. Whereas roughly the same comment ignited a diplomatic row in the 80s, this time absolutely nothing happened. Ethnographic Similarities The culture of Minicoy Island is very different from the other Indian islands of Lakshadweep. Even today, it is believed that the language, religion, ethnicity and culture of Maliku people closely resembles that of Maldives. Ashraf Ali, the president of the Dhivehi Bahuge Academy of Maldives (an institution that protects, promotes and develops Dhivehi language), told WION that the Maldivian people are proud that their language and way of life is connected to a culturally rich country like India. "The language they use, Mahal bas, is just a dialect of Dhivehi Bas (a Maldivian language). Their culture, eating habits, language are very similar to Maldivians," he said. Ali said Indian institutions devoted to preserving Mahal Bas and Maldives provide language trainings to Manicoys. IMAGU President Mohamed said his Maldivian hosts and their Indian guests have noticed the similarities between the two during the recent trip. "Maldivians have this bond with the people of Maliku. We did not feel like they are from some other country. Other than Maldivians they are the only people who have Maldivian language as their mother tongue." Ibrahim Manikufaanu, who is devoted to maintaining the culture, traditions and language of Minicoy Island, said Minicoy will always resemble Maldives. "Maldivian customs and traditions are still very visible in Maliku. We are from one origin, one bloodline" he said. Connectivity Though the nearest island to India’s Minicoy is the Maldivian island of Thuraanuku, the Indian government has forbidden the direct travel between the two islands since 1956, despite their geographic proximity and ethnographic similarities. A special permit from the Indian government is still needed to enter Minicoy. "It was not easy to travel between Maliku and Maldives. We were not allowed to travel directly. We rarely meet Maldivians," Manikufaanu said. Difficulty visiting Maldives did not stop Minicoys from giving up Maldivian customs and traditions. Maldivian media connected Minicoys to Maldives ever since they started getting the radio signal of the Voice of Maldives, the Maldives’ state broadcaster’s station. Manikufaanu says that over the years, Maldivian media played a huge role in Minicoy to keep Maldives alive in their heart. "Now Maliku people have access to public service broadcaster, as well as some private broadcasters, and they read the online news websites of Maldives" he said. To make it easier to travel between Maliku and Maldives, two months ago a travel agency called Under Water Travel and Tours introduced a tour package which connects the two islands. "We need a passport copy of the passenger, we get the permits from the authorities. We arrange everything," said director of Under Water Travel and Tours, Mohamed Imthiyaaz, to WION. Before 1956, people of Minicoy and people from Maldives’ northern atolls used to travel often across the islands. Even today, both Maldivians and Malikun wish to travel directly between the islands. But since 1956, the journey of few hours has become long; it takes 12 hours to reach Cochin city of the Indian state of Kerela in a ferry, and it’s around a two hour flight to reach Ibrahim Nasir International Airport of Maldives — from there it will take more hours to reach the northern atolls, depending on the travel arrangements. However Imthiyaaz said they are trying to make direct travel possible from Maldives to Maliku in a near future. "We are negotiating with both Maldivian and Indian government. We are hoping this happens soon," he said. This is surely long-awaited good news for both Maldivians and Minocoys. Hopefully soon the cultural cousins won’t need to wait for Eid to be together again. (WION)

Maldivians and Indians reunite to celebrate joint heritage

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