NEW DELHI – For the first time in history, India to station fighterairplanes in the Andaman and Nicober Islands to strengthen India’s holdover the crucial Malacca, Sunda, and Lumbok Strait and the Straits of OmbaiWetar and the eastern Indian Ocean Region, top sources told India Today.

This is the first time fighter airplanes will be positioned in Andaman andNicobar islands since World War II.

The Malacaa, Sunda and Lumbok straits are narrow ocean passes that connectthe Indian Ocean to the South China Sea. About 70 per cent of world’strade, by volume and energy passes through these narrow straits.

Over the last few years, more and more Chinese warships and submarinesincluding nuclear submarines have been spotted in India’s backyard as thegame to dominate the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) hots up.

Recently, the Indian Navy sent a tacit message to Beijing that it will keepan eye over the region by tweeting pictures of Chinese warships enteringthe Indian Ocean Region.

Leveraging the Andaman Island chain as line of defence against anaggressive China has been in the plans for some time now. The Modigovernment, however, has put more energy and focus to realise this.

The decision to beef up security at the Andaman and Nicobar island comes ata time when India and China are looking to cool down tempers along the3,488 km long un-demarcated and disputed Line of Actual Control (LAC) afteran informal summit between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinpinglast month.