November 3, 2010:
India is building two new naval bases on its east coast, to cope with what it sees as a growing Chinese naval threat in the Bay of Bengal (between India and Burma) and the Indian Ocean. One base will be at Tuticorin, neat the southern tip of India, while the other will be at Paradip, way to the north, near Bangladesh. Meanwhile, China is building a commercial port in Bangladesh, and already has some military facilities next door in Myanmar (Burma). There is currently only one major Indian naval base on the east coast, at Vizag, about halfway between the two new bases.
Two years ago, India announced the construction of a another new naval base, for all its submarines, on its east coast (near the port of Vishakaptanam in Andhra Pradesh state, midway between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.) The Rambilli naval base will be home for India's new nuclear subs, and will have the nuclear facilities necessary for maintaining these boats. The base will be completed in three years, and India's first nuclear sub is expected to be ready for service by then.