Port Blair, May 29: The news flashed in the national media regarding probability of Port Blair being the base for American Drones had sent shivers down the spine, with the islanders fearing the adverse.

According to the news report carried in the national media, a new Pentagon-commissioned report seeks to turn Port Blair city it into something radically different: a base for American drones. In possibly the first reference to the use of Indian territory for the US military in recent times, the paper, put together by the RAND Corporation, suggests that the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands could be ideally suited as a base for American drones in the event of an offensive against China.

The paper, titled 'Overseas Basing of US Military Forces', was commissioned by the Pentagon on the instructions of the US Congress and looks into the presence of the American military at various bases and locations across the globe.

Commenting on the report carried in the national media, the Commander In Chief of the Andaman & Nicobar Command Air Marshal PK Roy, AVSM, VSM today said, “It’s a study done by an American think tank. I can assure you that there is no such thought process, no MOU and I can also assure you that there are no foreign poachers in our islands”.

“These articles keep coming. It’s like you and me trying to discuss Southeast Asia. It’s a study done by them and is no way connected to us, I can guarantee” assured the CINCAN.