Carnicobar: ANC’s Middle Bastion
On December 26, 2004, a monstrous wall of water shattered Carnicobar, killing 122 air warriors and family members and redrawing the coastline forever. But from the ruins of that devastating tsunami, a strategic powerhouse emerged. Today, Carnicobar serves as a linchpin of India’s Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), acting as a springboard for Indo-Pacific security. Beneath the waves lie haunting “Ghost Towns,” but above them, C-130J Super Hercules and elite paratroopers guard the world’s most critical sea lanes. This documentary is the story of a sentinel reborn. It is the story of Carnicobar: ANC’s middle bastion.
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Arc Of Power: Episode 7
In Part VII of our Arc Of Power series, we journey to the strategic heart of the ANC: Carnicobar. Through high-octane sequences of C-130J Super Hercules operations and elite paratrooper drills, we explore how this remote outpost guards the world’s most critical maritime choke-points. Episode 7 documents a sentinel reborn, standing as a testament to India’s maritime resilience and strategic foresight.
Located roughly 1,800 kilometers from mainland India, Carnicobar (also spelt Car Nicobar) is more than a picturesque island; it is a “middle bastion” for the ANC. Its proximity to the Six Degree and Ten Degree Channels allows India to monitor the Malacca Strait, through which 80% of China’s energy imports travel.
Military Might: The Springboard
The airbase, originally laid by the Japanese in the 1940s, now hosts a range of sophisticated platforms. From P-8I long-range surveillance aircraft to Mi-17 V5 helicopters, the station ensures 24/7 readiness across a massive Area of Responsibility (AoR). During recent drills like Exercise Kavach, C-130J aircraft demonstrated the ability to launch airborne assaults directly from the mainland to these remote outposts.
The 2004 Tsunami permanently altered the island. The air station has been rebuilt stronger, and regular tsunami drills now ingrain survival strategies into the community.
‘Arc Of Power’ Series
A StratNews Global team of Amitabh P. Revi, Rohit Pandita and Vashisht Mattoo document this series. Deepankar Verma provides all the informational graphics. In case you missed:
👉Andaman & Nicobar Command. ‘Arc Of Power’ Episode I | Rutland Beach Joint Service Amphibious Assault.
👉INS Kohassa: Eyes In The Sky, Punch In The Sea, Khukris On The Beach— ANC | Arc Of Power, Episode II.
👉Andaman Nicobar Command: India’s Strategic Outpost | C-in-C, Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan Exclusive | Episode III.
👉Tarasa, Tiger & Tamannaah—Andaman & Nicobar Command, Arc Of Power Part IV: Outpost To Springboard.
👉Andaman & Nicobar Command: In Conversation With The Commanding Officer INS Saryu | Arc of Power Episode V.
👉 9 Days On INS Saryu; A Sailor’s Life At Sea, A Home Away From Home | Andaman & Nicobar Command. Episode VI.
The 'Eye' of the story not the 'I' of the story. That's Amitabh Pashupati Revi's credo from the beginning of his professional journey in 1995. From conflicts in the war zones of Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq to nuances of international politics in the Maldives,Thailand, and South Sudan, Amitabh has reported from all the world's continents, except for Antarctica(so far). Though, he has documented the world's third pole, the Siachen Glacier!
Amitabh reports and produces documentaries on the two-front China-Pakistan threat to India. His ground reports from Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh have received viewership in the hundreds of thousands. Amitabh has interviewed world leaders, top global analysts, and experts in India, Russia, the United States, and Australia as well. Along the way, he’s picked up the Russian language, the Ramnath Goenka Award for his reporting on the 'Islamic State' terrorist group in Iraq, the Khaled Alkhateb Award for his reporting from Palmyra, Syria, and the UN Dag Hammarskjöld Distinguished Journalist Fellowship. Last but not least, as a founder member of StratNews Global, Amitabh helps lead the reporting, editorial, production, and administration teams at StratNews Global, BharatShakti, and InterStellar on their journey ahead.
