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Source: The post is based on the article “Two Indian military aircraft visit Australia’s strategic Cocos Islands” published in The Hindu on 31st July 2023.
What is the News?
Indian Navy Dornier maritime patrol aircraft and an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130 transport aircraft have visited Australia’s Cocos (Keeling) Islands (CKI) in the Southern Indian Ocean.
What is Cocos (Keeling) Islands (CKI)?
Cocos Islands also called Keeling Islands is an external territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean.
It comprises a small archipelago approximately midway between Australia and Sri Lanka and relatively close to the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
The islands were discovered in 1609 by the British sea captain William Keeling, but no settlement occurred until the early 19th century
The island consists of two atolls made up of 27 coral islands, of which only two – West Island and Home Island – are inhabited.
What is the strategic significance of Cocos (Keeling) Islands for India?
Cocos can be an important base for refuelling and operational turnaround for the Indian military, especially once the runway there is expanded to accommodate large aircraft like the P-8 long range maritime patrol aircraft.
Apart from military cooperation, Cocos Islands had been a point of cooperation between the space agencies of the two countries for India’s Gaganyaan human space flight mission.
Australia is in discussion with India on the establishment of a temporary ground station at Cocos (Keeling) Islands for the Gaganyaan missions.
