What is the Great Nicobar Project?:Rahul Gandhi calls it ‘open loot’; how the project counters China?

On 28 April, Rahul Gandhi visited the Nicobar district of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The next day, he released a video on X calling the Centre’s ₹81,000 crore Great Nicobar Project ‘open loot’. Rahul said, “The project the government is talking about will wipe out centuries-old forests spread over 160 sq km.” The BJP hit back, saying—Congress’s “China love” has once again come to the fore. This project is a declaration of India’s strength in the Indian Ocean. So what exactly is the Great Nicobar Project, what does the government want to achieve through it, and why is it facing opposition? We explain in today’s explainer… What exactly is the Great Nicobar Project? A multi-layered defence and infrastructure project is being developed on Great Nicobar Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Under this, a total area of 166 sq km is proposed for development… In the first phase of the project, ₹18,000 crore is being spent. The port is expected to become operational by 2028. It will have a capacity of handling 40 lakh TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of cargo, which is planned to increase to 1.6 crore TEUs over 25 years.
What does the government aim to achieve through the Great Nicobar Project? The government has two major objectives behind this project… 1. Increasing revenue through a transshipment port At a transshipment port, cargo containers from large ships are unloaded and then loaded onto smaller ships for onward delivery. This reduces travel distance for large vessels and lowers transport costs. The government says that the ₹44,000 crore deep-water port will reduce India’s dependence on foreign ports and attract international shipping traffic. Containers arriving on large vessels will be transferred to smaller ships bound for the Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea, and Arabian Sea. Currently, around 30 lakh TEUs of Indian cargo are handled at ports such as Colombo in Sri Lanka and Singapore in Malaysia. These are carried by around 200 large ships annually, costing roughly ₹1,800 crore per year. India’s first deep-water container transshipment port is at Vizhinjam in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Its capacity is only 10 lakh TEUs. A higher-capacity port in Nicobar would ease shipping routes between east and west. The port is located just 40 nautical miles from the Malacca Strait. This would allow not only ships coming to India but also those routed via Colombo and Singapore to use it. Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, “This port will make us a leading maritime nation. Large ships will also be able to anchor here, increasing our revenue.” However, questions remain over its viability. Experts believe it will be difficult to recover the initial ₹18,000 crore phase cost quickly. Unlike Colombo port, there are no industries or urban centres nearby. Therefore, it may struggle to function as a major transshipment hub. 2. Countering China’s maritime power In the Indian Ocean, China is developing infrastructure under its “String of Pearls” strategy. It is building ports in Gwadar (Pakistan), Hambantota (Sri Lanka), and Kyaukpyu (Myanmar). This is seen as a strategy to encircle India and exert pressure through maritime dominance. China is also expanding its naval presence and deploying ships under the guise of research. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are strategically located to monitor the Indian Ocean and the Malacca Strait. Under this project, there are plans to build a naval base, air station, and command centre in Great Nicobar. A civil-military airport is also planned, enabling rapid deployment of fighter aircraft. However, an upgraded naval station INS Baaz already exists in the region, and the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) in Port Blair oversees maritime surveillance in the Indian Ocean and Malacca region. In this context, questions are being raised about the need for another military airport. According to former naval officer Abhijit Singh, “If the port is so important from a security perspective, why is there a need for a large transshipment terminal? A port with low shipping traffic will neither ensure development nor impact. Instead, it may become an example of misplaced ambition.” There are also other concerns, particularly regarding impact on indigenous communities and forests. What other concerns are driving opposition to the project? Congress leader and former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has consistently opposed the project. He says, “There is clear evidence that the environmental consequences will be catastrophic. The conditions cited by the NGT offer only minimal mitigation of the risks.” Three major concerns have emerged: 1. “Death sentence” for indigenous tribes The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are home to some of the world’s most isolated and vulnerable tribal communities, including the Jarawa, North Sentinelese, Great Andamanese, and Shompen tribes. About 84.1 sq km of land proposed for the project—around 11%—is inhabited by Shompen and Nicobarese communities. The government claims consent has been obtained, but tribal councils allege signatures were taken by deception. Only about 400 Shompen people remain in the interior regions of Great Nicobar, with minimal contact with the outside world. Deforestation could severely affect their way of life. In February 2024, 39 global experts wrote to President Droupadi Murmu urging the project be stopped, calling it a “death sentence” for the Shompen tribe. They warned that outside contact could spread disease and threaten their survival. In October 2025, more than 60 environmentalists again wrote to the government seeking cancellation of the project. 2. Pollution and cutting of over 9 lakh trees Ecologist Madhav Gadgil said the government’s claim of clearing only part of the forest is misleading, as infrastructure development will lead to pollution affecting the entire habitat. IIT Bombay Associate Professor and Andaman expert Pankaj Sekhsaria noted that the island is seismically unstable and was significantly submerged during the 2004 tsunami. Deforestation poses both environmental and economic risks. Wildlife expert Dr Ravi Chellam said that compensatory afforestation elsewhere, such as planting trees in Haryana to offset island deforestation, is scientifically flawed. 3. Threat to rare species of birds and animals Ecologists warn that the project will affect Galathea Bay, a crucial nesting ground for the leatherback sea turtle. Retired Bombay High Court judge Gautam Patel said, “A nesting site for turtles is priceless. This is not balanced development.” Social ecologist Dr Manish Chandi, who has researched the region for over two decades, said the area is home to saltwater crocodiles, monitor lizards, fish, and rare birds like the Nicobar megapode, whose breeding could be impacted. How is the government defending the project? Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said that two Shompen and Nicobarese settlements in Rajiv Nagar and New Chingen will not be relocated. The Environment Ministry claims that reserved land for tribal communities has been increased by 3.91 sq km after notification of other areas. Manish Chandi argues that when indigenous hunting-based communities come into contact with modern infrastructure, it adversely affects their way of life and cannot be imposed upon them. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) says three high-level committees have been formed to monitor pollution, ecology, and tribal welfare. According to the ministry, experts in June 2023 found that no part of the project affects turtle nesting sites. A 500-metre buffer zone and sanctuary for leatherback turtles has also been proposed. It also states that although coral reefs exist nearby, around 16,150 coral colonies out of approximately 20,000 will be relocated. On forest loss, the ministry says only 1.82% of forest area will be used for the project, while 82% of the remaining area will remain protected, and 66 sq km will be declared a green zone. What has happened so far in the Great Nicobar Project? Discussions on the project began in 2017… 1 June 2017: The Islands Development Agency (IDA) was formed under the Home Ministry to oversee development projects in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 13 June 2020: IDA decided to work on the “Holistic Development of Great Nicobar Island (GNI) Project”. January 2021: NITI Aayog directed preparation of a master plan; terms of reference for environmental impact assessment were issued. 27 January 2022: Hearings were held on objections raised by environmentalists and tribal groups. 22 August 2022: The Expert Appraisal Committee recommended clearance after three meetings. 27 October 2022: Stage-1 clearance was granted for diversion of 130.75 sq km of forest land. 11 November 2022: Environmental and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance was granted with several conditions. 20 December 2022: Environmentalist Ashish Kothari filed petitions against the project in the NGT. 3 April 2023: The NGT upheld most of the clearance but ordered a High-Level Committee (HPC) to review gaps. 13 April 2023: The HPC, after multiple meetings, stated all environmental safeguards would be followed. 2024–2025: The ministry submitted affidavits and responses before the NGT. 16 February 2026: The NGT disposed of the case, accepting the ministry’s arguments on safety conditions. After NGT approval, Phase 1 of the project is set to begin. Work has not started yet, but the first phase is expected to be completed by 2028. Meanwhile, environmentalists have filed petitions in the Kolkata High Court, where hearings are ongoing.