Middle Ground Coastal Battery

India, India

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The Middle Ground Coastal Battery is a historic coastal artillery battery located on a small islet off the coast of Mumbai, Maharashtra, near the Gateway of India in Thane Creek.

The islet is a piece of hard basalt rock originally part of a reef, with an area of a few hundred square meters. It was fortified by the British East India Company in 1682 to protect the area from sea piracy. A marine police force drawn from the local Bhandari community was stationed here to monitor and prevent pirate activities.

After piracy declined and shifted to other regions, control of the battery passed through the Royal Navy to the Royal Indian Navy and now the Indian Navy. During World War II, anti-aircraft guns were installed on the battery to guard against potential Japanese attacks.

Today, the site is managed by the Indian Navy and serves as a ceremonial saluting base for the Flag Officer Commander-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command, where traditional cannon firings mark official naval events.