Great Nicobar project tests whether strategic development and environmental conservation can coexist.
Geography gives the Andaman & Nicobar Islands immense strategic value. Extending about 800 kilometres from north to south, this archipelago in the Bay of Bengal comprises 836 islands, islets, and rocks, of which only 36 are inhabited. The Ten Degree Channel separates the Andaman group of islands from the Southern Nicobar group. Landfall Island, the northernmost island of the Andaman group, lies about 280 kilometres south of Myanmar’s Cape Negrais and just 20 kilometres from Myanmar’s Coco Islands. In the south, Indira Point, the southernmost tip of Great Nicobar Island (GNI) and India’s southernmost tip, is just 160 kilometres from the northern tip of Sumatra in Indonesia. Few countries possess sovereign territory that extends so deeply into a critical maritime crossroads. South of Great Nicobar Island lies the Six Degree Channel and the Strait of Malacca, perhaps the world’s busiest shipping lane, connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans. From a strategic perspective, the archipelago is akin to an unsinkable aircraft carrier and surveillance platform, enabling India to monitor developments from the eastern Bay of Bengal to the approaches to the Strait of Malacca.
It is here that the Great Nicobar Island Development Project (GNIDP), an ambitious venture to create a strategic centre for trade, logistics, tourism, and defence, has come under the spotlight, with critics arguing that this greenfield project, spread over 166 km² in Galathea Bay on the south of Great Nicobar Island, will be detrimental to the environment and the indigenous tribal population. Sonia Gandhi, the matriarch of the Congress Party, has called it a “planned misadventure,” saying that the project threatens the existence of the island’s indigenous tribal communities, endangers one of the world’s most unique flora and fauna ecosystems, is highly susceptible to natural disasters, and has been hastily approved without adequate legal and social safeguards. While subtly recognising the project’s strategic and economic value, she asserts that the disaster risk far exceeds the potential benefits. Criticism of the project has now become political, with India’s main opposition party taking up the cudgels against it.
In India, the environment and environmentalists have often been used to stall major infrastructure projects, sometimes justifiably, and sometimes to advance hidden agendas. But the debate should never be cast as a choice between development and environmental protection, forcing a decision-maker to choose one or the other. Long-term development depends on healthy ecosystems, and environmental protection is more durable when people have livelihoods, infrastructure, and economic opportunity. Development without environmental stewardship becomes fragile and costly; environmental stewardship without development lacks social and political durability. What is needed is sustainable development that integrates both, so that economic growth, social well-being, and ecological resilience reinforce one another. When framed in this way, the contours of the debate shift. It is no longer about development at the expense of the environment, but about ensuring adequate measures to address environmental concerns as development proceeds.
So, what is the GNIDP all about? It is an important greenfield project scheduled for completion in four phases. The project has four key components. First, an International Container Transhipment Port at Galathea Bay with a planned capacity of 16 million TEUs, starting with 4 million TEUs in the initial phase. Its proximity to the Six Degree Channel and the Strait of Malacca, and its position along major shipping routes, make it a crucial maritime transhipment hub for India. Second, a dual-use Greenfield International Airport supporting both civilian and military flights, capable of handling 4,000 passengers per hour at peak capacity. Third, a 450 MVA power plant and related infrastructure. Fourth, an integrated township, including two new greenfield cities at Campbell Bay and Galathea Bay, featuring a cruise terminal, luxury resorts, and industrial facilities. This Rs 72,000 crore project marks the first comprehensive attempt to integrate national security objectives with regional economic development in the Bay of Bengal by positioning the islands as a strategic economic hub.
In this project, environmental protection has been integrated into every facet of the development effort and remains a priority. To begin with, several agencies have been engaged for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), including the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and the Botanical Survey of India (BSI). An Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) has also been constituted, with members from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), and the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO).
The seriousness with which environmental issues are being addressed is evident in the stringent conditions laid out for environmental clearance. A buffer area of 500 m from the High Tide Line (HTL) has been earmarked for the safe nesting of leatherback turtles. No development activity will be permitted west of Galathea Bay during Phases 1 and 2 of the project. An area of 2.5 sq km will be set aside for rainwater harvesting. In addition, the WII has been tasked with preparing and implementing a conservation and management plan for saltwater crocodiles and sea turtles. To that end, leatherback sea turtles will be satellite-tagged to monitor their movements. The WII will also establish a Field Research Unit in GNI for 30 years to undertake uninterrupted research and conservation interventions. In addition, a research station will be set up at GNI with office space and accommodation for WII, BSI, SACON & ZSI teams. No tourism will be permitted on the Western Flank of Galathea Bay at any phase.
The preservation and safety of the Shompens, numbering about 200-250, is also a high priority. The project is mandated not to disturb them or their habitations. To that end, the land will be clearly demarcated, and the tribal boundary will also be geo-fenced. All actions undertaken in the GNI will be in accordance with the A&N (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulations, 1956.
The island is home to saltwater crocodiles, leatherback turtles and the Nicobar megapode. As part of the conservation effort, there will be no development or tourism on any major nesting beaches on Great Nicobar Island (GNI). Pemmaya Bay and all other leatherback turtle nesting sites in the western part of GNI will also remain no-development zones. Specific agencies have been tasked with planning, implementing and monitoring conservation efforts. The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is responsible for protecting sea turtles and saltwater crocodiles. Protection of the Nicobar megapode has been entrusted to WII and the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology & Natural History (SACON). SACON will also look after all bird species on the island. The Botanical Survey of India (BSI) will oversee flora, and the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) will oversee intertidal flora and fauna, as well as coral preservation. Dredging protocols will follow standards set by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network, headquartered in Switzerland.
Three independent Monitoring Committees will oversee the implementation of the Environmental Management Plan (EMP). These committees will address issues relating to pollution, biodiversity, and the welfare of Shompen and Nicobarese tribals. In addition, an overarching Committee under the Chief Secretary (A&N) will oversee a 30-year Wildlife Conservation Plan, a 50-year Tribal Welfare Plan, and all aspects of compensatory afforestation.
Given that environmental protection has been embedded in every facet of the GNIDP, the debate cannot be about pitting development against the environment. There is a strategic necessity and an economic rationale for undertaking the development at Galathea Bay. All that is required is to ensure that the measures being undertaken are implemented in letter and in spirit. This is what needs to be monitored by an alert public and a responsible opposition.
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Maj Gen Dhruv C Katoch is an Army veteran. He is currently a Director at the India Foundation.
