The Great Nicobar project | Between the sea and the state

The Indian government has sanctioned a ₹72,000-crore mega-infrastructure initiative called the ‘Holistic Development of Great Nicobar Island’. Spearheaded by NITI Aayog and implemented by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation, the project aims to transform the remote outpost into a major transshipment and defense hub. The project encompasses an integrated city-state designed for commercial and military purposes, including a new international Container Transshipment Terminal, a greenfield airport, and a township that will house over 3.5 lakh people. Critics have raised concerns about the project's environmental impact, alleging procedural violations and a lack of transparency in its approvals process. The project has also been criticized for potentially displacing indigenous communities, including the Shompen and Nicobarese tribes, who are facing threats to their traditional way of life.