India’s Significant Advancement in Island Development with the Great Nicobar Project 2025

The Great Nicobar Project 2025: What is it?
In order to turn the isolated and environmentally delicate Great Nicobar Island into a significant center for trade, tourism, and strategic defense, the Indian government is undertaking a massive infrastructure and development project called the Great Nicobar Project 2025. It is a component of India’s larger plan for the development of the Blue Economy in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and the “Act East” policy.

A long-term initiative led by NITI Aayog, the Great Nicobar Project 2025 aims to transform the southernmost region of India into a world-class infrastructure zone. The suggested strategy consists of:

• The port of transshipment in Galathea Bay
• An international airport in Greenfield
• A 450 MVA gas and solar power plant
• A new township to help workers and residents

 Where is Great Nicobar located?

As part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a Union Territory of India, Great Nicobar is the largest island in the Nicobar group.

It is close to the Malacca Strait, which is one of the busiest maritime commerce routes in the world and where more than 25% of all traffic goes.

Important Project Elements

By 2025, the strategy calls for:

1. Galathea Bay International Transshipment Port

• 14.2 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) can be transported there each year.
• The goal is to lessen India’s reliance on foreign ports like Singapore or Colombo in order to handle big cargo ships.

2. International Airport at Greenfield

• competent to perform both military and civilian tasks.
• will increase tourism and make it easier to get to and from mainland India.

3. The Power Plant

• 450 MVA (Mega Volt Ampere) of capacity, derived from a mix of gas and solar power.
• will supply electricity to the airport, community, and port.

4. Civil Infrastructure and Townships

• spanning 130 square kilometers.
• comprises public utilities, administrative buildings, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and housing.

5. Facilities for Ecotourism
eco-parks and resorts that support environmentally friendly travel.

• anticipated to draw affluent tourists with little effect on the environment.

Project Budget and Schedule 🏗

• An estimated ₹72,000 crore (almost $9 billion) would be spent.
• Project Length: 15 years of phased development (2025–2040)

Under the direction of NITI Aayog, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO) is the Executing Agency.

Biodiversity at Risk: Great Nicobar is a Biosphere Reserve designated by UNESCO

The residence of:

• Great Nicobar Project megapode is a rare bird that lives on the ground.
• Sea turtles with leatherbacks
• Reef crocodiles
• Massive robber crabs
• Tropical jungles and thriving coral reefs.
• Forest Loss: More than 850,000 trees will be cut down as a result of the project.
• There will be the clearing of about 130 square kilometers of forest.
• Tribal Communities: The Shompen Tribe, a Tribal Group That Is Especially At Risk
• The Nicobarese Community
• concerns about land loss, cultural deterioration, and a lack of participation in planning procedures.

 Legal Issues & Environmental Clearances

• In 2021, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was finished.
• In 2022, approval was given by the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has received several public interest litigations (PILs) alleging violations of tribal rights and environmental legislation.
• Ecologists and NGOs have demanded that the project be moved or altered.

Strategic and Defense Importance

• Monitoring the Strait of Malacca, which is vital to the Indo-Pacific power dynamics, depends on the island’s location.
• India’s naval reach and disaster relief capabilities in the Bay of Bengal will be improved by the construction of a military-use airport.
• opposes the influence of China in the Indian Ocean region.

Existing Situation (as of 2025)
Pre-construction activities are in progress:

• Plans for compensation and land acquisition are being completed.
• Assessments of tribal resettlement and forest clearing are ongoing.
• For the port and airport, the first round of tendering has started.
• By the end of 2025, construction is anticipated to get underway.

What Could Be Improved?

To make the project more sustainable, experts recommend the following:

• rearranging the layout to lessen the loss of forests and wildlife.
• include tribal tribes in the process of making decisions.
• applying environmentally friendly building standards.
• releasing comprehensive data and holding open, transparent public consultations.

Advantages of the Project Strategic Importance

• India has a stronger presence in regional marine security and trade thanks to the project’s proximity to the Malacca Strait, a crucial shipping channel.
• Economic Boost: It is anticipated that thousands of employment would be created in the tourism, construction, logistics, and service industries.
• Growth of Tourism: Great Nicobar has the potential to develop into an ecotourism haven thanks to its unspoiled beaches and fauna.
• Better Connectivity: By lowering travel times and promoting local development, the port and airport will increase the island’s accessibility.

What Makes It Important?
1.Strategic Location: One of the world’s busiest maritime lanes, the Malacca Strait, is not far from Great Nicobar. India would be able to participate more actively in global marine trade with a port here.

 By developing infrastructure, thousands of employment will be created, tourism will be encouraged, and international investors will be drawn in.

2.National Security: As Indo-Pacific geopolitical tensions increase, the island’s growth bolsters India’s defense and naval capabilities.

The Government’s Promises
According to the Indian government and project developers:

• EIAs, or environmental impact assessments, have been carried out.
• There will be steps taken to reduce the loss of forests.
• The livelihoods and well-being of the tribe will be protected.
• A well-rounded strategy will be used to combine sustainability with development.

In conclusion
An ambitious attempt to link India’s furthest frontiers with its global ambitions is the Great Nicobar Project 2025. Although the goal is ambitious, it needs to be accompanied by careful planning, scientific insight, and consideration for the environment and the livelihoods of indigenous people. Only then will this initiative be able to serve as an example for sustainable and equitable development.