ANC at 25: Former Commanders Meet to Plan the Next 25 Years of India’s Only Joint Command

Former chiefs and senior military leaders of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) met for a Strategic Leaders’ Conclave on Sunday, 11 October 2026. The meeting was held as part of the Command’s Silver Jubilee celebrations, marking 25 years since it was set up.

The leaders looked back at how the Command has grown over the past 25 years and discussed the role it should play in the years ahead.

What was discussed

The participants, including former Commanders-in-Chief of the ANC, focused on a few key areas:

• Strategic value of the islands: How the importance of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has changed over the years.

• Indian Ocean Region: Why the region matters more than ever for India’s security and trade.

• New maritime challenges: The threats India faces at sea today and may face in the future.

• Future role of ANC: How the Command can protect India’s maritime interests and support its goals in the Indo-Pacific.

According to the Command, the conclave also laid out its vision, planning and priorities for the next 25 years. It said the meeting “reaffirmed ANC’s vision as a strategic frontier and maritime arc of power.”

India’s only joint command

The ANC was raised in 2001. It is India’s first and only command where the Army, Navy and Air Force work together under a single commander. The Indian Coast Guard also plays its part along the coast. The Command is headed by a Commander-in-Chief, a post that rotates between the three services.

An official explained that the islands need constant watch, which is why all the services work side by side. This calls for regular contact between them and sharing of intelligence. The official said this kind of jointmanship is “crucial” for the Command’s work.

The ANC’s experience is seen as very useful now that India plans to set up integrated theatre commands. In a theatre command, all three services operate under a single head for a given region.

Why the islands matter so much

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie about 1,200 km from the Indian mainland. They are close to the Strait of Malacca, a narrow sea route that links the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

Around 35 to 40 per cent of the world’s sea trade passes through this route, including large amounts of oil and gas from the Middle East. China moves nearly 80 per cent of its crude oil imports through the strait, and its military vessels are often seen in the waters near the islands.

This location puts India in a strong position to watch over one of the busiest sea lanes in the world.

Challenges the Command faces

Guarding the islands is not an easy task. The archipelago has 836 islands, but people live on only 31 of them. This makes it hard to keep an eye on every part of the chain.

The Command deals with several problems:

• Illegal activity: Poachers, smugglers and human traffickers from Bangladesh and Myanmar try to use the islands, and they need to be stopped.

• Security threats: The islands must not be used as a base by insurgent groups from other countries.

• Protecting nature: The sea life around the islands is rich but fragile, and the Command is also tasked with checking pollution.

• Rescue work: The ANC regularly carries out search and rescue missions at sea and evacuates sick or injured sailors from merchant ships passing through the area.

Life depends on the mainland

The islands still depend on the mainland for many basic needs. Electricity is produced using diesel generators, and the fuel has to be shipped in. Even the food supply is easily disrupted. Recently, the islands ran short of potatoes after a ship carrying them developed engine trouble and had to return to Kolkata.

Other anniversary events

The conclave was one of several events held to mark the Command’s 25 years. Earlier in the week, a joint services parade was held at Birchgunj Military Station in Sri Vijaya Puram, formerly known as Port Blair. The parade showed the traditions of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard.

As India looks to strengthen its presence in the Indian Ocean, the Andaman and Nicobar Command is expected to play an even bigger role in guarding the country’s eastern sea frontier.