At 25, Andaman Command faces uncertainty

ON October 8, 2026, as India’s first joint military formation — the Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC) — celebrates its silver jubilee, its fate hangs in balance. If and when the Indian armed forces adopt the “theatre command” model, the ANC may be either subsumed into a larger theatre or reorganised entirely. This milestone provides an opportune moment to evaluate the 25-year trajectory of what had begun, in 2001, as a bold leap of faith. India is indeed fortunate to possess strategically located island territories in the Bay of Bengal, but such assets can become liabilities if adequate vision, foresight…