"India Strengthens Naval Presence with New Base Near Maldives and Lakshadweep"

India is set to open a new navy base on its Lakshadweep islands, strategically located near the Maldives, just days before the Maldives begins sending home Indian forces at the request of its pro-China President. The move is seen as a response to India's suspicions of China's growing presence in the region and aims to extend New Delhi’s “operational surveillance” of the area. The new base will bolster anti-piracy and anti-narcotic operations and is part of India's policy to incrementally augment security infrastructure at strategically important islands.