Tricolour, New Names, And Increased Surveillance For 1,300 Remote Islands: MHA

In a new order from the home ministry, 1,300 remote islands on India’s coast will be given names and have increased surveillance, while the Tricolour will also be hoisted at these locations.

News18 has learned that copies of the order by the ministry of home affairs (MHA) have been sent to all relevant state heads, police chiefs, and heads of security establishments and agencies to ensure adequate presence on the islands and to conduct flag hoisting. The order said surveillance will be increased over these islands while the central government will name each.

This agenda was discussed at the last DG conference held in November 2024, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was communicated to the DGPs of all states and union territories, as well as the chiefs of central police organisations. The Union Home Minister, principal secretary to the Prime Minister, National Security Adviser, and the Ministers of State (Home Affairs) were also in attendance.

Earlier in 2020, Modi had mentioned in his address to the nation on the 74th Independence Day: “There are more than 1,300 islands in our country… Keeping the importance of a few identified islands in mind, we are developing them very fast.”

Following this, in 2022, Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) identified and mapped more than 1,300 islands and submitted the report to the government. Findings from this report will be used for holistic planning and development, including establishing infrastructure for strategic reasons.

The development of these islands will be phased. Besides turning them into tourism hubs, the Centre is planning to use them for land use, geomorphology, locating lithium deposits, and sourcing groundwater.