Great Nicobar Project: India's strategic depth in the Indian Ocean

The article describes the Great Nicobar Project as the holistic development of Great Nicobar Island, an infrastructure-intensive venture comprising a transhipment port at Galathea Bay (International Container Transhipment Terminal, ICTT), a Greenfield international airport, an integrated township, and a power plant. Estimated cost is ₹72,000–₹81,000 crore, conceived by NITI Aayog and implemented by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO). The project is planned over 30 years, with four focus areas: ICTT with a target capacity of 14.2–16 million TEU annually; a deep-water port at Galathea Bay; a Greenfield airport serving civil and military needs and tourism; and a 450 MVA hybrid power complex plus the township. It aims to leverage the Nicobar Islands’ geostrategic position to become a key strategic, economic, and defence hub in the Indo-Pacific, and to support India’s shift toward greater maritime capabilities. Projections include a 2040 ICTT revenue of about ₹30,000 crore, potential savings of $200–$300 million annually from Galathea Bay port, and the creation of around 50,000 high‑paying jobs across logistics, aviation, and energy sectors. The plan envisions transforming Great Nicobar Island into a Special Economic Zone with possible Free Trade Zone status, boosting global tourism via the new airport, and strengthening regional security and economic networks, including closer cooperation with Quad to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. The project is framed as a counterweight to China’s String of Pearls and as a means to enhance coastal radar networks and monitoring of marine movement, while acknowledging ecological concerns such as wildlife habitats, coral reefs, and mangroves that require careful management.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued environmental clearances for the Great Nicobar Project, citing its strategic, military, and economic importance. The tribunal emphasized strict compliance with ecological safeguards and recognised India's urgent need for maritime capabilities in the Indian Ocean. It mandated strict adherence to the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, the Island Coastal Regulation Zone (ICRZ) Notification, 2019, and pollution norms, and established a high-powered committee (HPC) to review the project and its clearances. The NGT also ordered independent monitoring and mandated two biodiversity monitoring stations at Campbell Bay and Kamorta Island, along with eight wildlife corridors to protect biodiversity and indigenous communities.