Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: It was set up by the British during the Second World War.
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
The Andaman and Nicobar Command is an important part of India's defence structure and represents a significant organisational innovation. It brings together elements of the Army, Navy and Air Force under a single command in a strategically important island territory. Exams on defence and security often ask questions about its nature and history. This question asks which statement about the Andaman and Nicobar Command is not correct, so you must know how and when it was created and how it is structured.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The key concept is the notion of an integrated theatre command, where units from all three services operate under a single commander. Andaman and Nicobar Command is recognised as India's first such integrated command and has its headquarters in Port Blair. The commander in chief is usually of three star rank, such as Vice Admiral, Lieutenant General or Air Marshal. The command, however, was established by independent India in the early twenty first century, not by the British during the Second World War. The approach is therefore to confirm the three correct statements and reject the historically incorrect one.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Evaluate Statement A. Andaman and Nicobar Command is well known as India's first integrated theatre command, so this statement is correct.
Step 2: Evaluate Statement B. Its headquarters are located at Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which is accurate, so this statement is correct.
Step 3: Evaluate Statement C. The command is led by a Commander in Chief of three star rank drawn from one of the three services, so this statement is also correct.
Step 4: Evaluate Statement D. Although the Andaman and Nicobar Islands were strategic even during the Second World War, the integrated theatre command in its present form was established by India long after independence, not set up by the British. Therefore, this statement is not correct.
Step 5: Conclude that Statement D is the incorrect one.
Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by recalling that Andaman and Nicobar Command was created as part of efforts to improve jointness among the services in independent India, with the formal establishment occurring around the beginning of the twenty first century. Historical accounts of the British Second World War period refer to separate naval and military facilities rather than a unified joint command of this type. The fact that the present command structure emphasises tri service integration under a single commander confirms that it is a creation of modern Indian defence policy, not a legacy of British wartime organisation.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Common Pitfalls:
Candidates may confuse the presence of British military installations in the islands during the Second World War with the creation of the present integrated command. Another pitfall is to doubt the integrated status or the three star command structure because these concepts seem modern and might be wrongly assumed to be experimental. Paying attention to the exact wording of the statements and remembering the timeline helps avoid these errors.
Final Answer:
The statement that is not correct about the Andaman and Nicobar Command is that it was set up by the British during the Second World War.
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