Question 1539

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed Admiral (Retd.) Devendra Kumar Joshi (63) as the new Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Born on 4 July 1954, Devendra Kumar Joshi was the 21st Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy and is a specialist in anti-submarine warfare. Alongside Devendra Kumar Joshi, President Ram Nath Kovind also appointed new Governors for Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Meghalaya. The appointments will come into effect from the date the incumbents assume charge of the new posts, President’s office said in an official statement. Admiral D K Joshi (retired), had quit the Indian Navy in a huff in 2014. The appointment of Admiral Joshi as the Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar isn't only about setting past mistakes right. It is also a clear signal that the Modi-led NDA government wants to make the archipelago - India's easternmost military post - play a more decisive military role for its "Look East Policy". In fact, the archipelago is designed to be the main staging post for warships, aircraft and submarines to counter the growing aggressiveness of China in the Indian Ocean. More number of Chinese warships and submarines prowled the Indian Ocean in 2017 than ever before. And, on the other hand, the Andaman Nicobar base will form an important logistic base for the Indian Navy's reach out programme to countries like Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia and Vietnam among others under the guise of 'looking east'. The 750-km long Andaman and Nicobar archipelago comprises a chain of 572 islands and is located 1,200 km from mainland India, but is merely 90 km from Indonesia and 50 km from Myanmar. The Andaman Nicobar island chain faces the crucial Malacca Strait - one of the busiest shipping lanes and also China's gateway to the Indian Ocean and therefore a natural choke-point. About 40 per cent of the world's trade and more than 50,000 merchant ships sail through it every year. It has assumed even greater importance with the stupendous rise of China in the last decade. Nearly 80 per cent of China's crude oil imports from the Middle East and Africa pass through the Malacca Strait. And, an estimated 15 million barrels per day of oil flow through the Malacca Strait from the Middle East Gulf and West. The Indian Navy is now permanently sending warships along the 40 Km strait to police the waters. Further down in the Northern Indian Ocean region, the Sunda Strait is also seeing more Indian warships in a policing role. Despite the South Block's increased focus on Andaman and Nicobar, the construction of infrastructure has been slow. Issues of coordination between agencies and between the three-services have impeded progress. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra have, on repeated occasions, highlighted slow infrastructure development in the archipelago and this is why appointment of former Indian Navy Chief Admiral Joshi assumes significance. Before taking over as the Navy Chief, Admiral Joshi led the Andaman Nicobar command. "The appointment of Admiral Joshi will sort out coordination issues and fast-track execution. Not only does he understand maritime strategy, he can also ensure better coordination between the three forces", a senior Ministry of Defence official said. Consider the following statements. Which of them are TRUE? A. President Ram Nath Kovind announced the governors of states for Bihar, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Manipur and Andaman and Nicobar. B. There are increased patrols along the Sunda strait by the Indian Navy. C. China is sending its warships through the Malacca strait. D. Admiral Joshi has served as the chief of naval staff.