This Island is group consists of 5 Islands, 4 islands on Great Coco reef and Another island is on the little Coco reef. Coco Islands is geographically an extended division of the Arakan mountains(Easter himalayas) submerge as a chain of islands in the Bay of Bengal. These are also part of Andaman and Nicobar archipelago.
History of Coco Islands
The islands were first discovered by Portuguese sailors. The named this as a Coco Island, because of the majority of trees were Coconut trees. In 19th Century, the British government in India established a penal colony in the Andamans. Coco Islands were the source of food for it and remained part of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Due to its difficult situation at that time British government in India transferred this islands to the British government of Burma. In 1937 the British government transferred the control of these islands to Crown Rule. The British raj was planning to dany the free India at certain strategic locations including Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep and Coco Islands. They thought that these islands could be useful for keeping their dominance intact in the region and devoid India a strategic influence in the region.
However the statesmanship of the Sardar Patel saved these islands for the country as he put strong negotiations with British government and did not yield to the British Pressure. Later on Viceroy Lord Mountbatten knowing the shrewdness of Sardar Patel, started negotiations with Jawaharlal Nehru.
In 1971, After closing of the penal colony, the facilities on Great Coco Islands were transferred to the Burmese Navy. In 1994, China got these islands from the Myanmar military. Before that China supposedly established SIGINT intelligence gathering station on Great Coco Islands in 1992.
Strategic Importance
Most sea lines of communication pass through Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea.
Coco Islands is situated in proximity of straight of Malacca which is a Crucial point for the global supply routes of oil from the gulf.
Can India take it back?
The Indian Defence Minister George Fernando's in an interview with BBC in 2003, had stated that Prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had donated the Coco Islands to Burma in 1950's and thus surrendered a vital strategic asset. Many other reports also claim that the Indian government had gifted the Coco Islands to Myanmar in 1950's. However no one knows the actual truth.
Taking back these islands actually depends on weather India had gifted these islands to Myanmar or not, If India had gifted these islands, then definitely India can send army and can take back these islands. Because India can blame Myanmar that these islands are helping China to do anti-India activities.
If India had gifted these islands to the government of Myanmar. Then this is only for their own use, but not for giving it on lease to a third country like China. So India can take it back.
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