After Rahul Gandhi’s attack, government defends Great Nicobar project

The Union government defended the Great Nicobar Island Integrated Development Project against environmental and strategic criticism, reaffirming the project'...

What Happened

The Union government defended the Great Nicobar Island Integrated Development Project against environmental and strategic criticism, reaffirming the project's national importance.
The ₹80,000 crore ($10 billion) project comprises four components: an international container transshipment terminal at Galathea Bay, a dual-use civil-military airport, a township, and a 450 MW gas and solar power plant.
Environmental critics have flagged: felling of approximately 9.64 lakh trees, destruction of Galathea Bay's coral reefs and leatherback sea turtle nesting sites, displacement risks for the Shompen (a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group), and the island's location in a seismically active zone.
The project received Environmental Clearance under EIA Notification 2006 in November 2022, subject to 42 compliance conditions.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has greenlit the infrastructure projects, citing national importance and the need for a balanced approach.
Strategic proponents argue the development will allow India to monitor and project power at the entrance to the Strait of Malacca — a chokepoint for over 30–40% of global trade.

Static Topic Bridges

Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve and Biodiversity

The Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve covers approximately 85% of Great Nicobar Island — the largest of the Nicobar Islands in the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It was designated a UNESCO Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme site in 2013. The reserve hosts exceptional biodiversity including the giant leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), saltwater crocodile, Nicobar long-tailed macaque (Nicobar macaque), and hundreds of bird and invertebrate species. Galathea Bay, where the transshipment terminal is proposed, is one of the most significant nesting sites for the leatherback turtle in the entire Indian Ocean region.

IUCN status of giant leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea): Vulnerable (globally); Critically Endangered in some regional assessments.
Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve area: approximately 885 sq km; UNESCO MAB designation: 2013.
The Biosphere Reserve includes three protected areas: Campbell Bay National Park, Galathea National Park, and the Great Nicobar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Coral reefs in Galathea Bay mapped by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) in 2020 are directly in the project footprint.
Approximately 9.64 lakh trees estimated to be affected by the project's forest diversion.

Connection to this news: The project's Galathea Bay terminal site overlaps with the most ecologically sensitive portions of the Biosphere Reserve, making biodiversity impact the central environmental flashpoint.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Process in India

Environmental clearances for major infrastructure projects are governed by the EIA Notification 2006 (issued under the Environment Protection Act 1986). The process involves: screening, scoping, public consultation, appraisal by an Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC), and final clearance by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). Category A projects (large-scale, with national/interstate implications) require Central-level clearance; Category B projects are handled at the State level.

EIA Notification 2006 issued under: Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The Great Nicobar project's EIA was prepared by Hyderabad-based Vimta Labs; draft released December 2021, final version March 2022.
Public hearing was held on January 27, 2022 by the Andaman and Nicobar administration.
Environmental clearance granted by MoEFCC in November 2022, subject to 42 compliance conditions.
Critics argued the EIA was incomplete and "cherry-picked" data on leatherback turtle nesting frequency.
The MoEFCC's Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC – Infra I) recommended the clearance in August 2022.

Connection to this news: The EIA clearance process and its rigour are central to the government's defence of the project — opponents contend the process was inadequate given the ecological sensitivity of the site.

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) and the Shompen

India recognises 75 communities as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) — tribal communities identified as having declining or stagnant population, pre-agricultural technology, extremely low literacy, and subsistence-level economy. The Shompen of Great Nicobar are one such PVTG, with a population of approximately 200–400 individuals. They are semi-nomadic, forest-dependent, and have minimal contact with the outside world. Their habitat overlaps with the project area; roughly 10% of the tribal reserve is estimated to be directly affected.

PVTGs identified by: Dhebar Commission (1973), criteria later revised; current list of 75 notified by Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
The Shompen and Nicobarese together number approximately 1,761 individuals on Great Nicobar.
The Shompen are classified under the Forest Rights Act 2006 as a community with forest-dwelling rights — project land diversion intersects these rights.
The Andaman and Nicobar Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulation 1956 restricts entry into tribal reserves.
Displacement of PVTGs can constitute a violation of the Forest Rights Act 2006 and the PESA Act 1996 (for scheduled areas).

Connection to this news: The government's defence of the project faces the specific challenge of demonstrating compliance with PVTG protection frameworks and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) requirements.

Strategic Significance: Strait of Malacca and Indo-Pacific Geometry

Great Nicobar Island sits approximately 150 km from the Strait of Malacca — one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints. Over 80,000–94,000 merchant vessels pass through Malacca annually, carrying 30–40% of global seaborne trade and one-third of the world's maritime oil. A dual-use military-civilian port and airstrip on Great Nicobar would give India the ability to deploy naval assets (destroyers, submarines) and maritime patrol aircraft (like the P-8I Poseidon) at the western entrance to the Strait — directly countering what strategists call China's "Malacca Dilemma" vulnerability.

Distance from Great Nicobar to Strait of Malacca: approximately 150 km.
Malacca Strait carries approximately 30–40% of global seaborne trade.
The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) — India's only tri-services theatre command — is headquartered at Port Blair.
The dual-use airport is designed for both civilian international flights and military aircraft operations.
The transshipment port aims to capture cargo currently handled by Singapore's port — the world's second-busiest container port.
Project is part of NITI Aayog's "Holistic Development of Great Nicobar Island" blueprint (2021).

Connection to this news: The government's primary defence of the project rests on its Indo-Pacific strategic value — positioning India to monitor and secure critical sea lanes at a time of heightened maritime competition.

Key Facts & Data

Project cost: ₹80,000 crore (approximately $10 billion).
Project components: International container transshipment terminal (Galathea Bay), dual-use civil-military airport, township, 450 MW power plant.
Trees affected: approximately 9.64 lakh (964,000).
EIA clearance: MoEFCC, November 2022, with 42 compliance conditions.
UNESCO MAB status: Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve designated 2013.
Protected areas within the reserve: Campbell Bay National Park, Galathea National Park, Great Nicobar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Leatherback turtle IUCN status: Vulnerable (Dermochelys coriacea).
Shompen population: approximately 200–400 (PVTG); total indigenous population on island ~1,761.
Distance to Strait of Malacca: ~150 km.
Malacca traffic: ~80,000–94,000 ships per year, carrying ~30–40% of global trade.
Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC): India's only integrated tri-services theatre command, established 2001.
Environment (Protection) Act: enacted 1986 — parent law for EIA Notification 2006.