Disaster as a Catalyst for Military Expansionism

The earthquake that triggered the south and south-east Asian tsunami of 26 December 2004 also caused a significant and permanent shift in the lay of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The northern Andaman Islands saw a lift of up to five feet while the Nicobars in the south subsided in places by nearly 15 feet. This resulted in much larger damage caused by the tsunami to life and property in the Nicobar Islands even though the area and population here is much less than that in the Andamans. Huge changes were also effected to the topography of the islands and the coastal and marine ecosystems. The subsequent years have seen increasing defence-related interest in the Nicobar groups and a number of projects have been commissioned, initiated or proposed. The hypothesis presented here is that there is a relationship between the damage and destruction caused, the notion of a wasted and washed-out land and seascape and the heightened defence presence and activity here.