NEW DELHI: It is understandable that China might be unhappy and cautious about the large-scale development of this significant area, but the opposition from the Congress and its communist allies is unfortunate.
From Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh to Arunachal, with security arrangements in place, the Modi government has now prepared extensive plans for security and economic prosperity on the maritime borders from Lakshadweep to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In his third term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has initiated efforts to make Greater Nicobar an even more attractive economic zone than China’s Hong Kong region, which was once under British control. This plan is considered crucial for the strategic and economic security of many affluent countries worldwide. This is why developed and prosperous countries around the world are continuously giving special importance to India and its Prime Minister Narendra Modi in international organizations.
As a journalist, I have had the opportunity to witness the transformations in regions such as Kashmir, Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Lakshadweep over the past fifty years. Therefore, learning about the plans for the Nicobar Islands brings a unique sense of joy. The first time I visited the Andaman and Nicobar Islands was in May 1978, for about a week, along with three journalists and Sudarshan Pandit, an expert in this remote tribal area. I wrote a cover story with numerous pictures in my magazine, “Saptahik Hindustan.” In this context, it seems appropriate to mention some aspects of Nicobar as seen nearly 45 years ago. The most astonishing fact was that although the administration of Nicobar was technically under the Indian government, the real power lay with the priests and the businessman Akoji Jadwet family. At that time, the population of Nicobar was only around 10,000, spread across 15 villages. A road about 52 km long connected the villages. The priestly family was the undisputed ruler of this area. Being an isolated tribal region, even more so than Andaman, the church and the priests had converted 99% of the tribals to Christianity. 1% of the population was Muslim. The people here look entirely different from those in the Andaman—like fair-skinned Mongolians. Instead of government officials, expert Panditji provided insights into the internal conditions. Village captains were chosen at the behest of the priest. The Nicobarese, who toiled in farming and labour, could only sell their produce according to the desires of the priest’s agent, the captain. Land was owned by the village, not by any individual. If a girl married a non-Christian, she would be ostracized and denied basic sustenance. Remarkably, a massive statue of the living elderly priest was erected in the church courtyard in Nicobar. The priest did not even allow some Indian government officials stationed in Nicobar to build their Hindu temple. Boats and a small ship were available to travel from Nicobar to Port Blair in the Andaman, operating on a weekly schedule.
However, in the past 40 years, and especially the last ten, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been rapidly changing. In this context, the Modi government aims to develop Great Nicobar Island into a modern urban centre with dual-use infrastructure. Despite political obstacles, the Rs 75,000 crore “Great Nicobar Development Plan” prepared by NITI Aayog has also received approval from the Environmental Control Board. Great Nicobar is the world’s southernmost and largest island. This project includes plans to build a transhipment terminal, an international airport, a power plant, and a township. The proposed port in this project will increase Great Nicobar’s share in regional and global maritime trade and position it as a significant player in cargo shipment. The airport will promote maritime services growth and boost the flow of domestic and international tourists to Great Nicobar Island, enhancing tourism. The plan to build a port in Great Nicobar has been in discussion since the 1970s. The goal was to create a port near the world’s busiest maritime route (the Strait of Malacca) to increase its share in global maritime trade. Great Nicobar Island is located at the southernmost tip of India and is part of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, which comprises 600 islands. The Nicobarese community engages in farming and fishing. Most people in Great Nicobar are those who have been settled there from various parts of the country. Between 1968 and 1975, the Indian government resettled retired military personnel and their families from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. About 330 people were given 15 acres of land in seven villages on the island’s eastern coasts. These seven villages were Campbell Bay, Govindnagar, Jogindernagar, Vijaynagar, Lakshmi Nagar, Gandhi Nagar.
The Andaman and Nicobar archipelago spans 750 kilometers and includes a chain of 572 islands. It is located approximately 1200 km from mainland southern India, only 40 km from Myanmar, 160 km from Indonesia, and 550 km from Thailand. According to the definitions of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (A&N) come within the maritime boundaries of both. The Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Bay of Bengal lies to the north and west of A&N, and in the Andaman Sea to the east of A&N. Various straits (narrow sea passages, also called channels) in A&N are officially part of the Andaman Sea, not the Bay of Bengal. These connect the Bay of Bengal to the Andaman Sea and the shipping routes beyond. The Ten Degree Channel (also known as the Great or Grand Channel) within India’s EEZ is one of the world’s busiest shipping trade routes. Security, safety, and freedom of navigation in this area are crucial for the global economy. This region is part of the vast Indian Ocean region.
The history, culture, religion, economy, and trade of the A&N Islands, as well as its EEZ, political and international relations, national security, safety, and the freedom of navigation for power projection not only for India but also for other South Asian and Southeast Asian countries, hold deep significance, especially in terms of the $3 trillion international trade passing through the South Andaman Sea. Over 94,000 merchant ships cross these waters every year, carrying 40% of the world’s trade goods from China, South Korea, and Japan. In the Indo-Pacific Asia, $5 trillion of annual shipping trade passes through the SLOC and the chokepoints of Southeast Asia and the South China Sea (SCS).
It is understandable that China might be unhappy and cautious about the large-scale development of this significant area, but the opposition from the Congress and its communist allies is unfortunate. Just this June, the Congress demanded the immediate cancellation of the plan. The Congress Party claims that it violates constitutional provisions, laws, and procedures that protect tribal communities and the environment. In its election manifesto for the Lok Sabha, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) promised to cancel this plan, which it considers dangerous for the environment and beneficial only to capitalists. The communists are forgetting that their existence is gradually coming to an end in Kerala, just like it did in Bengal. However, by riding on Congress’s shoulders, they might be dreaming of encouraging anti-India Maoists with foreign funds and support, as they did in the past.
In reality, Andaman and Nicobar hold international importance more for strategic security than tourism and trade. The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) is an integrated tri-service command of the Indian Armed Forces, located in Port Blair. It was established in 2001 to safeguard India’s strategic interests in Southeast Asia and the Strait of Malacca, enhancing the rapid deployment of military assets in the region. It provides logistical and administrative support to naval ships deployed to East Asia and the Pacific Ocean. This area connects the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, making the security of the Malacca Channel crucial for the economies of many countries. Both the United States and Russia support the freedom of navigation. Australia’s 2013 defence white paper emphasizes the importance of protecting Indian Ocean SLOC trade. China’s activities in this region have become a concern for many countries. Contrary to the concerns expressed by the United States, Japan, and many other countries, China continues to claim most of the South China Sea. China has militarized a small reclaimed island in the South China Sea, which is also claimed by other countries. Allegedly, China has conducted similar underwater drone operations in the Pacific Ocean as well.
In 1999, after the Kargil War, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands garnered more attention. The Group of Ministers on National Security Improvement recommended a joint command, advised by the Indian Navy, stating that the commander of this joint command would report to the Chief of Defence Staff. The Andaman and Nicobar Command was implemented by the end of September 2001, with Vice Admiral (later Admiral and CNS) Arun Prakash as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command. The joint command in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands helps to prevent smuggling, piracy, drug and gun trafficking, poaching, and illegal immigration in the region, particularly in the Strait of Malacca. Its aim is to curb threats in the Strait of Malacca. An Indian command on the islands can counter any potential future threats from China.
The Indian EEZ and A&N command area connects the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, making the security of the Malacca Strait paramount for the economies of many countries.