The Unified Command has grown leaps and bounds: CINCAN We are letting Chinese know that we are monitoring: ANC

Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Oct O7: The Andaman and Nicobar Command today said that the Chinese movement along the International Borders near Andaman Sea is being closely monitored and the ANC is letting Chinese know that they are being monitored.
“We are letting them know that we are monitoring their movement. Only 12 miles is ours area after that it’s the international border and it’s the international law. We cannot do anything if they don’t enter inside out area or come close to it,” the Commander in Chief of Andaman and Nicobar Command, Vice Admiral Pradeep K Chatterjee told media person while replying to a question during a press conference at Port Blair today.
The CINCAN said that the ANC is keeping a close watch along the International Border. “Let it be anything, their surveillance etc etc all that are taken care off,” he added.
The CINCAN said that the ANC is committed to protect the emerald Andaman and Nicobar Islands from any threats be it convention or sub-conventional. Safeguarding the islands and the country’s maritime boundaries and airspace is the prime role of the Unified Theatre Command. Besides, search and rescue operations at sea, anti-poaching operations, vigil against human trafficking, illegal migration and disaster management are among other crucial tasks assigned to the Andaman and Nicobar Command, said the Commander-in-Chief, A & N Command, Vice Admiral PK Chatterjee.
Vice Admiral Chatterjee said that infrastructure development to support the assets of the Unified Command and future accretions remains a major challenge. With 90 percent of area in the islands declared as forests, obtaining environmental clearances after extensive procedures has become a cumbersome task. But the synergy between all the four components, Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, the Unified Command has grown leaps and bounds and is prepared to face any challenges, he said.
Synergy between different defence components has helped build quality military troops indisputably the best in the country over the years. Apprehension of foreign poachers have come down from 93 in 2013 to 27 this year. 24×7 surveillance of the seas and coastal areas by Navy, Coast Guard and different agencies of the local administration has been ensured. But, the issue of illegal immigration needs to be addressed as it may become a cause of social unrest in future, said Vice Admiral PK Chatterjee.
The Andaman and Nicobar Command also plays a crucial role in Defence Diplomacy through Coordinated Patrols with littoral nationals like Myanmar, Indonesia and Thailand. The seamless integration of all elements in the recently held Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Management Exercise, Jal Suraksha, 10 SAR Operations carried earlier this year for personnel as well as missing vessels of the local populace, evacuation of civilian medical causalities from Campbell Bay and other remote areas, transportation of more than 400 passengers stranded at Port Blair and Hut Bay in May this year are examples of joint operations carried out by the ANC recently.
To strengthen Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Management of the ANC, specialist equipments such as JCBs, Bulldozers, Mobile Cranes, Tractors etc have been procured and positioned across various Defence Units in the islands. Besides, additional Gensets and lighting equipments, potable water plants, chemical toilets, Bedding and equipments for Relief Camps have also been procured and the ANC is fully prepared to deal with any natural disaster, Vice Admiral PK Chatterjee added.