Amini is believed to be one of the earliest populated islands in the Lakshadweep archipelago. According to local lore, the island was settled by followers of Ubaidullah, an Arab saint who is said to have brought Islam to the region in the 7th century. Historically, Amini served as an important center of cultural and religious life in the islands.
In the 16th century, the island briefly fell under Portuguese influence. The Portuguese sought to control the lucrative coir trade, leading to deep resentment and eventual rebellion by the islanders, who expelled the colonizers. The island subsequently came under the rule of the Ali Rajahs of the Arakkal family in Cannanore (now Kannur).
By the late 18th century, oppressive coir monopolies led the people of Amini to seek the protection of Tipu Sultan of Mysore in 1787. Following Tipu Sultan's defeat by the British, the island fell under the administration of the British East India Company. After India gained independence in 1947, Amini became part of the Republic of India and was eventually organized under the Union Territory of Lakshadweep in 1956.
