The Centre has outlined the Great Nicobar Project as a major initiative to transform the island into a strategic maritime and economic hub in the Indo-Pacific region.
According to official details, the project leverages Great Nicobar’s proximity to key international shipping routes to reduce India’s dependence on foreign transshipment ports while strengthening national security and defence presence.
The project includes key infrastructure such as an international container transshipment terminal, a greenfield international airport, a gas–solar power plant, and a planned township. It will be implemented in three phases between 2025 and 2047.
Authorities said the development follows a regulated environmental framework with multiple safeguards, including limited forest diversion, compensatory afforestation, and strict compliance conditions under environmental laws.
The government also emphasised that no displacement of indigenous communities, including the Shompen and Nicobarese tribes, is planned, with measures in place to protect their welfare and expand notified tribal reserve areas.
Officials said the project aims to balance economic growth with ecological conservation and social inclusion, positioning Great Nicobar as a key node in regional trade and connectivity.
