Sansad TV

Perspective: The Great Nicobar Project | 11 September, 2025

Sansad Tv

On the show today, we’re going to talk about the Great Nicobar Project– which has set off one of the biggest debates on development and security in recent times. At a cost of Rs 72,000 crore, this ambitious plan aims to transform the Great Nicobar Island – the southernmost island of the Andaman & Nicobar group in the Bay of Bengal – into a major transshipment and economic hub. The multi-dollar infrastructure and strategic plan proposes to build a deep-water port at Galathea Bay to handle millions of containers a year, an international airport, a 450-megawatt power plant and a new township for thousands of residents and workers. Hailed by many as a game-changer, it could make India a key player in global shipping lanes, reduce dependence on foreign ports, generate thousands of jobs and bolster our maritime security right at the mouth of the Malacca Strait – one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes through which about 40% of the global trade passes through. Further, The Great Nicobar Project is significant not only for infrastructure and trade but also for its national security and strategic importance to India. But ever since the project’s launch in 2021, it has witnessed significant backlash from environmentalists, indigenous rights advocates, and conservationists, who have raised concerns about how the development project can exploit the rich repository of biodiversity and threaten the existence of the tribal communities.

Anchor: – Teena Jha

Producer: – Sagheer Ahmad

Guest Coordinator: – Deepti Vashisht, Vinod Kumar Singh, Paras Kandpal