For the US timeframe, the island was viewed during the Cold War as strategic to the United States, due to it's proximity to India, a potential ally of the Sovie

For the US timeframe, the island was viewed during the Cold War as strategic to the United States, due to it's proximity to India, a potential ally of the Soviet Union. It served (and may still serve) as a Navy communication station. It has been used to monitor Afghanistan and China's activities in the South China Sea.