Woman Who Wanted a Caribbean Beach Birth Stranded With Baby - Insider In the new study, researchers led by M. Dores Cruz, a historical anthropologist in the Department of African Studies at the University of Cologne in Germany, along with colleagues from the University of So Tom e Prncipe (USTP) investigated Praia Melo, a newly identified estate on the island's northeastern coast that is the first of So Tom's sugar mills to be analyzed with modern archaeological methods. Agalega Islands in Mauritius is famous for coconut trees. There are also many water sports in the isle, and together with the Aux Cerfs Golf Club, and Beach restaurant, the small island offers luxury beyond measure. The archaeologists also discovered numerous fragments of ceramic sugar molds similar to those used in Madeira. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake. The endemic plant is coconut and Agalega Island Day Gecko is a native species. The outpost at Agalga will be useful to support the operation of Indias fleet of Boeing P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft. While other Portuguese sugar mills relied on enslaved people solely for manual labor, in the So Tom sugar plantation system, enslaved people largely from what are now Benin, the Republic of the Congo, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo performed nearly all the tasks, from the harvesting and processing of sugarcane to the carpentry and stone masonry needed to build and run the mills. Over the last two decades, China has invested heavily in countries in Asia, Europe and Africa, through its Belt and Road Initiative, in an attempt to increase its geopolitical influence. It will act as a crucial node in expanding Indias footprint in the region, it will provide a useful location for communication and electronic intelligence collection. The sugar mill at Praia Melo includes a large stone building that was refurbished and expanded over the span of 400 years. About Agalega - Outer Islands Development Corporation - Mauritius The islands produce and export coconut oil and copra. The US-made P-8, based on the Boeing 737 passenger aircraft, is a cutting-edge maritime patrol aircraft, tasked with anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Time will tell exactly how India will make use of these facilities on Agalga once completed later this year. What Are The Biggest Industries In Mauritius? After that, the atoll returned under government administration and was administered by the Agalega Corporation under the Agalega Corporation Act. The island lies some 1,242 miles off the coast of Africa. These islands emerged from abysses when volcanic actions took place underwater. Agalega, April 20, 2022. In mid-July of this year, India received its tenth P-8I as it continues to expand its naval surveillance capabilities. [9] The islands are known for their production of coconuts which was their main industry and, also, for the Agalega day gecko. | Google Maps Mauritius has denied a media report that it allowed India to build a military base on its. Underground Railroad secrets revealed with drones, lasers and radar. Satellite images show a hive of construction activity in the area near the original jetty, located north-west of the new runway. In an image taken from video, Oliver Anthony sings "Rich Men North of Richmond." (YouTube) 5 min. Cruz hopes they will be able to find more sugar mills or the enslaved-African quarters in the future, but her attention is still focused on Praia Melo. Vingt Cinq and la Fourche are the two villages in the North island and Ste Rita is the only village in the South Island. However, India appears to be using the island for a purpose that has not yet been revealed but appears to be military,[1][2][3] it still remains, as explicitly defined by the Constitution of Mauritius, part of the Sovereignty of Mauritius, together with the following islands Rodrigues, Tromelin, Cargados Carajos (Saint Brandon), Chagos Archipelago () Diego Garcia and other islands included in the State of Mauritius.[4]. The Republic of Mauritius has a population of 1.37 million people (in 2020). The biggest island in the country is Mauritius Island with a total land area of 718 square miles, covering 92.5% of the country. We asked for an airport that would be enough to handle emergencies, to save lives, he said. A new country anthem is written for a world turned upside down But, luckily for India, it could look to Mauritius and its remote, almost empty island of Agalega. The strategic outpost would also allow India's navy to observe shipping routes around southern Africa, which now account for a significant portion of China's energy imports. As a result, India in coordination with the United States, Australia and even France is undertaking efforts to surveil the Indian Ocean to directly deter and limit Chinas ability to operate in this region. Investigation reveals how football can be used to launder money, Agalga islanders fear for future due to secret Indian navy base, How the construction of an airstrip and jetty on a remote Mauritian island reveals a rising India that plans to flex its muscles as a regional superpower. The atoll, which was once known as La Perle des Iles Huile has a population of 359. And Agalga is not the only Indian Ocean island modified for P-8 use. India's secret military base in the Indian Ocean | Agalega Island Project specifics are still being tightly held by both the Indian and Mauritian governments. These very thinly populated islands are leased to the Indian military for development of strategic assets. Get Swarajya in your inbox everyday. Plantation slavery was invented on this tiny African island, according A meteorological and a wireless transmitting and receiving station is there in this island. Together, they make up Agalga, a far-flung part of Mauritius more than 1,100km (684 mile) from the main island a trip that takes about two days by boat. The northern island is long and thin, the southern island, across a 200-metre-wide (218-yard) channel, short and round. Despite its Diego Garcia base, the United States no longer enjoys predominance in this increasingly multipolar region in which no one power wields hegemonic influence. "I think as an addition to India's other points that it can operate from, it's incredibly important. For instance, military facilities on India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the northeastern Indian Ocean, at the junction of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, were also enhanced to better support India's patrol aircraft missions. [29] Why Is Biodiversity Critical To Life On Earth? It consists of North Island and South Island. Here's why, Family of farmer killed by drunk driver tells court crash scene was like a 'Hollywood horror movie', Mark Latham quits One Nation, accuses party of 'defrauding NSW electoral funds', ABC chair Ita Buttrose will not seek reappointment in 2024, Ten months after Victorian floods, some people still not back in their homes, When Jane discovered her daughter was the victim of alleged child abuse, she found it hard not to blame herself, Ukrainian drone destroys Russian supersonic bomber, Hobart bus operator looks to permanently cut services amid 'extreme' cancellations, union says, Hundreds expected to flock to Loch Ness in search of mythical creature. Over the last two decades, more countries have started looking at the Indian Ocean as a future geopolitical hotspot. The Glocem was taking part in an ambitious construction project, and it was not the only vessel making over the last two years. In the 1950s and 1960s, the UK, Mauritiuss former colonial ruler, turned a section of Chagos into a military base, Diego Garcia, and leased it to the US in a secret deal. Mauritius also disputes with France over Tromelin Island which lies around 430 kilometers northeast of Mauritius. setting up and upgradation of infrastructure, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations, Two Indian Warships Head To Bangladeshs Mongla Port, Where Navy Launched A Daring Covert Operation Against Pakistan In 1971 War. (Image credit: M.D. The island state is the African country with the highest population density. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. They point to what they claim are efforts by the Mauritian government to make it harder to live on the islands. So Tom (Portuguese for "Saint Thomas"), an island 150 miles (240 kilometers) west of Gabon in the Gulf of Guinea, was first settled by the Portuguese in the late 15th century. The North Island is home to the islands' airstrip and the capital Vingt-Cinq. Other countries that are active in the region have been France, which has territory in the region through Reunion Island, as well as the United States, which has a military base on Diego Garcia.. The satellite imagery, which appears to be from December 2020, shows that a new 3,000 metre-long runway has come up in the central part of the island, right next to a smaller airstrip, which has existed since the mid-1980s. Second, it is simply a case of what governments always do when it comes to their military operations, namely keeping adversaries in the dark. A Strategic Island In Indian Ocean Under Threat-Agalega Island Ile Aux Cerfs is a privately owned island lying east of Mauritius Island in the Flacq District. This was done "in response to U.S. military aspirations in the Indian Ocean," and as Republic of Mauritius v. 'She is finally home': activists mourn Toki's death and find meaning in It is quite a small Island, but its location is absolutely prime, Bashfield told Al Jazeera. Of course, the countries hosting these radars also benefit, as they can keep a closer eye on piracy, illegal fishing and smuggling operations that might be taking place in their waters. But it is clear that the Indian investment of $250m in developing an airfield, port, and communications hub on this remote island is not aimed at helping Mauritius develop its capacity to police its territorial waters. And there is some evidence that Mauritius does not plan to remove the islanders. India sought access to . The Agalega Islands cover a land area of 70 square kilometers. These islands produce copra and coconut oil for export. Given Chinas recent Indian Ocean deployments, its vast military modernisation programme, its recent conduct on the India-China Himalayan border, and its demonstration of coercive statecraft on the international stage in general, India is logically eager to inhibit Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean. Finding an uninhabited island with abundant wood, fresh water and the potential for growing sugarcane, the Portuguese monarchy tried to entice people to move there. The base could also be used for staging Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations, which have become an important feature of Indian diplomacy INS Jalashwa is currently on its way to Madagascar (not far from Mauritius) with assistance to deal with the crisis triggered by a severe drought. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. There are candlelight vigils planned on Whidbey Island, Washington, and outside the Seaquarium in Miami on Saturday evening. Over the last 50 years, the region has mostly been dominated by India, France, the US and the UK, Dave explained. Indias building radar arrays for basically free in places like Bangladesh and the Maldives and Seychelles and Sri Lanka. The existing runway on the island was in such poor shape that the Dornier 228 aircraft bought from India and operated by the Mauritius Coast Guard was damaged on multiple occasions, while landing and taking off from the island. To present itself as a security provider for the whole Indian Ocean, India has been looking for years to find a location for a military base. There was no jetty big enough for a ship like the Trochetia to moor, so it had to drop anchors some distance from the coast, and small ships took supplies to shore. The Detailed Project Report suggested the creation of jetty infrastructure for berthing and movement of ships of length 149 m and drawing draught of 9 m. The development of support infrastructure for the base, such as maritime and air traffic control buildings, hangar, passenger terminal for the runway on the island, desalination plant, as well as electricity, water and sewerage systems, will take place over the next few months. The plan was quickly put on hold after protests from people who wanted to visit family on the island but couldnt because of the fee. While some of these buildings could be temporary, a few could be retained for future use. India for long has been the predominant actor, particularly around its own neighbourhood. The Indian Ocean is now increasingly contested. Indian 'Military Base' In Agalega: New Satellite Imagery - Swarajya Recent satellite images and other documents detail progress on the construction of two naval jetties and a . It means that they have an agreement that theyre allowing the Indian military to come in to build the facilities and to use them in the future.. Mauritius is a tropical island nation in the ocean, and dense forests covers much of its mountainous area. The Statistics of Mauritius show that as per 2014 there were around 41,669 inhabitants of mixed African and French descent. The Mauritian government restated its position that there is no agreement between Mauritius and India to set up a military a base in Agalga. It added that it used the term military base to mean a facility owned and operated by, or for, the military for sheltering of military equipment and personnel, on a permanent basis and for military operations., It stated that construction work on Agalga is designed to improve the inadequate infrastructure facilities on the island, which will remain under the control of the Mauritian authorities and any use thereof by any foreign country will be subject to the approval of the Government of Mauritius.. New communications and intelligence infrastructure will come up on the island, improving Indias situational awareness in this part of the Indian Ocean amid increasing Chinese presence, including a base in Djibouti. A plan to build one in the Seychelles fell through after the countrys political opposition blocked it. According to ORFs Mishra, there are two main reasons neither country has spoken openly about what will happen with the island. Anne Sheppard/Wikipedia Commons On November 8, 1965, the creation of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) detached the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius, creating a new colony. "Investigation of the Sao Tome sites may be the most important new development in years for scholarship of the sugar and slave connection," he said, providing new information on an industry primarily known from 17th-century records from Brazil and the West Indies. 2 TERRITORIES AND DEPENDENCIES After that 2006 CIA cable, the relationship between India and Mauritius grew even closer. Its an intelligence facility for India to stage air and naval presence in order to increase surveillance in the wider southwest Indian Ocean and Mozambique Channel, he continued. As a result, India has been scrambling to improve its standing with countries it has long had good relationships with. How Oliver Anthony's 'Rich Men North of Richmond' became a chart These include Ile aux Cocos, Sables, Grand Montagne, and Anse Quitor. Some interesting facts about Agalega The Agalega is a group of two small islands, the North island which is the main island, and the South Island, located in the Indian Ocean, north of Mauritius. 2023 Outer Islands Development Corporation. The first is optics: From an Indian perspective, we cannot be seen as someone who is supporting militarisation of our region. There are no luxury hotels, no water bungalows, no tourist shops. TheAgalega Islandsof Mauritius comprises of two islands namely the North Island and the South Island. Maui Upcountry fires leave residents homeless, fearful of future 02:15. The small, remote Mauritian island of North Agalega, located in the south-western Indian Ocean, 700 miles north of Mauritius, is currently a hive of construction activity. But, as Franco Poulay told Al Jazeera, they do not plan on leaving the island. [28] Mauritius is consistently ranked as the most peaceful African country. In recent imagery, progress can be seen on hangars along the runway which measure 180 . Whether or not China is deterred by Indias surveillance efforts, Agalga is now a pawn in this new era of major power competition across the Indian Ocean and indeed the wider Indo-Pacific region. Delhi Continues Strategic Investment in the Indian Ocean Significance: Strengthen India's Presence: It will strengthen India's presence in the south-west Indian Ocean and facilitate its power launch aspirations in the region. Its inhabitants are Mauritian citizens. Both figures are close to where Biden's approval numbers have stood for about the past year and a half, including . The purpose is allowing the Indian military, and also the Mauritian coast guard, to have access and to be able to operate out of this area.. According to Samuel Bashfield, research officer at the Australian National University focusing on strategic and geopolitical issues in the Indian Ocean, it is no surprise that India is now developing Agalega as a military asset. The atoll was once known as La Perle des Iles a Huile. By 1495, to supply labor for the sugar trade, the Portuguese rulers forced convicts, Jewish children and enslaved Africans to move to the island. Up to 1975, Agalega was managed by the private sector. Greg Poling, a senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC, told Al Jazeera Chinas plans for the Indian Ocean have refocused Indias attention.
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