“A remarkable global benchmark reflecting the precision, bravery, and national spirit of the participants.” — Union Minister of State Pabitra Margherita, on the underwater flag record
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands scripted history on 2 and 3 May 2026 by setting two Guinness World Records on consecutive days — both achieved entirely underwater. On 2 May, the Union Territory administration unfurled the “Largest National Flag Unfurled Underwater”, a massive Indian Tricolour measuring 60 m × 40 m (2,400 sq metres), at Radhanagar Beach on Swaraj Dweep. The very next day, a team of 14 scuba divers formed the “Tallest Human Stack Underwater”, reaching a height of 22.3 metres for three uninterrupted minutes.
Both records were ratified on the spot by Guinness World Records adjudicator Rishi Nath. The twin achievements were organised by the UT administration with active support from the Indian Navy, the Indian Coast Guard, the Andaman and Nicobar Police, and the Forest Department.
🌊 Record 1: Largest National Flag Unfurled Underwater
The first record was set at Radhanagar Beach, Swaraj Dweep, at 10:00 AM on 2 May 2026. The Indian Tricolour measured 60 metres in length and 40 metres in width, covering a total area of 2,400 square metres — making it the largest national flag ever deployed beneath the ocean’s surface.
The deployment was a complex, tightly coordinated multi-agency operation. Radhanagar Beach is internationally recognised for its Blue Flag certification — an eco-label awarded by Denmark’s Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) to beaches meeting stringent standards for water quality, environmental management, safety, and visitor facilities. It is the only Blue Flag certified beach in the Andaman Islands.
Flag Record Formula: 60 m (length) × 40 m (width) = 2,400 sq metres. Location: Radhanagar Beach — Blue Flag certified, Swaraj Dweep. Date: 2 May 2026.
🤿 Record 2: Tallest Human Stack Underwater
The second record was set at the Lighthouse dive-site off Swaraj Dweep on 3 May 2026. The Lighthouse is a well-known dive location on the western coast of the island, approximately 3 km from Havelock Jetty, featuring a sloping coral reef descending from 3 to 23 metres on a sandy bed.
A team of 14 scuba divers assembled into a vertical human column underwater, reaching a total height of 22.3 metres — taller than a seven-storey building. The stack was maintained for three full minutes, meeting the Guinness World Records requirement for duration. Notably, Lieutenant Governor Admiral D.K. Joshi (Retd.) himself participated in the attempt. The record was formally certified that evening at a celebration banquet at Dolphin Resort on Swaraj Dweep.
| Feature | Record 1 — Flag | Record 2 — Human Stack |
|---|---|---|
| Date | 2 May 2026 | 3 May 2026 |
| Location | Radhanagar Beach, Swaraj Dweep | Lighthouse dive-site, Swaraj Dweep |
| Key Measurement | 60 m × 40 m = 2,400 sq metres | 22.3 metres height, 3 minutes duration |
| Participants | Multi-agency divers | 14 scuba divers (incl. LG D.K. Joshi) |
| Notable Feature | Blue Flag certified beach | Taller than a 7-storey building |
Imagine spreading a flag bigger than half a football field on the ocean floor — that’s Record 1. Then imagine 14 people standing on each other’s shoulders underwater, reaching the height of a 7-storey building and holding it steady for 3 minutes — that’s Record 2. Both done on back-to-back days, both in the same island.
👤 Key Personalities & Institutions
Lt. Governor Admiral D.K. Joshi (Retd.) served as the 21st Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) of the Indian Navy from 2012–2014. Born on 4 July 1954 in Almora, Uttarakhand, he is an anti-submarine warfare specialist. He has commanded INS Kuthar, INS Ranvir, and the aircraft carrier INS Viraat. He has served as LG of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands since 8 October 2017 and also serves as Vice-Chairman of the Islands Development Agency (IDA). His awards include the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), AVSM, YSM, NM, and VSM.
Guinness World Records was founded in 1955, originally commissioned by the Guinness Brewery, Ireland, as a reference book to settle pub debates. Today it is one of the world’s best-selling copyrighted books and the global arbiter for records across science, sports, arts, and human achievement.
Don’t confuse: Admiral D.K. Joshi was the 21st Chief of Naval Staff (2012–2014) — not the current CNS. He is now the LG of Andaman & Nicobar Islands since 2017, not a serving naval officer. Also: Guinness World Records was founded in 1955, not 1954 or 1956.
📜 Swaraj Dweep: Geography, History & Renaming
Swaraj Dweep was formerly known as Havelock Island, named during British colonial rule after Sir Henry Havelock. It was officially renamed in December 2018 by PM Narendra Modi, during the 75th anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s hoisting of the Indian flag at Port Blair in 1943 — the first time the Tricolour was flown on Indian soil during the independence movement.
Two other islands were renamed simultaneously: Ross Island → Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep and Neil Island → Shaheed Dweep. Swaraj Dweep is part of Ritchie’s Archipelago in the Bay of Bengal and offers over 20 world-class dive sites with underwater visibility of 15–30 metres during the October–May diving season.
⚖️ A&N Islands: Administration & Strategic Context
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a Union Territory of India, governed directly by the Centre through a Lieutenant Governor. The capital is Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly Port Blair). The archipelago comprises approximately 572 islands, of which only about 37 are inhabited. It sits at the junction of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, sharing maritime boundaries with Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, and Bangladesh.
The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), established in 2001, is India’s only tri-services command combining the Army, Navy, and Air Force, headquartered at Sri Vijaya Puram. Great Nicobar Island, at the southern tip, lies close to the Strait of Malacca — one of the world’s busiest maritime chokepoints — and is the site of the ongoing Great Nicobar Island Development Project (₹72,000–81,800 crore), involving an International Container Transshipment Terminal, dual-use civil-military airport, and townships, executed by ANIIDCO over 30 years.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands sit at the intersection of tourism, environment, and strategic military interest. The same islands being promoted for eco-tourism and Guinness records also host India’s only tri-services command near the Strait of Malacca. How should India balance commercial development with ecological sensitivity and strategic security in this region?
✨ Diving Tourism: Strategy & Growth
The twin Guinness World Records are part of a structured effort to grow scuba diving as a core tourism vertical. In 2019, the archipelago received approximately 5.25 lakh tourists. After pandemic-era declines, numbers recovered to 3.23 lakh domestic and 9,025 foreign tourists in 2023. The administration’s tourism roadmap aims to convert the archipelago into a premium, sustainable, and heritage-rich global destination.
Active plans include development of artificial reefs, shipwreck dive trails, and marine-themed underwater installations. The islands hold over 25% of India’s total coastline and contain rich biodiversity — coral reefs, mangroves, sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, dugongs, and barracudas. The optimal diving season runs from October to May.
The Andaman twin records illustrate how a Union Territory can use “soft power” — international recognition, record-breaking, eco-tourism — to attract global attention and investment. Compare this with how small island nations like Maldives or Seychelles have built international brand equity through similar strategies. What can mainland Indian states learn from this model?
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The Largest National Flag Unfurled Underwater was set on 2 May 2026, and the Tallest Human Stack Underwater on 3 May 2026 — on consecutive days, both at Swaraj Dweep.
The Indian Tricolour measured 60 metres in length and 40 metres in width, giving a total area of 60 × 40 = 2,400 square metres.
Havelock Island was renamed Swaraj Dweep in December 2018 by PM Modi. Ross Island became Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep and Neil Island became Shaheed Dweep.
Admiral D.K. Joshi (Retd.) served as the 21st Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) of the Indian Navy from 2012 to 2014. He has been LG of Andaman & Nicobar Islands since 8 October 2017.
The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) was established in 2001 as India’s only tri-services command combining Army, Navy, and Air Force, headquartered at Sri Vijaya Puram.
