The Great Nicobar project has generated intense debate in recent months, drawing both praise as a transformative strategic initiative and criticism from environmental groups and political opponents.
But according to Admiral D.K. Joshi (Retd), Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the project must be viewed as part of a much larger effort to transform the island chain into one of India’s most important strategic and economic assets.
In an interview to The Gist, the former Navy chief argued that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are undergoing a historic infrastructure build-up after decades of neglect following Independence. The objective, he said, is to leverage the islands’ unique geography to strengthen India’s comprehensive national power and enhance its position in the Indo-Pacific.
At the centre of this transformation is a network of dual-use infrastructure projects spanning aviation, maritime connectivity, digital communications and tourism. Adm Joshi highlighted plans that will eventually provide four full-length runways across the island chain, roughly 250 kilometres apart, allowing day-and-night operations and significantly improving connectivity across the 750-kilometre north-south stretch of the archipelago.
He also pointed to expanded helicopter services and upgraded aviation infrastructure aimed at supporting both civilian and strategic requirements.
The maritime sector, however, remains the cornerstone of the vision.
Adm Joshi described the proposed International Container Transshipment Port at Great Nicobar as a project with the potential to become one of the most significant container hubs in the Indo-Pacific. Planned to be developed largely through private investment under a public-private partnership model, the port is expected to handle nearly six million TEUs in its initial phase and up to 21 million TEUs when fully developed.
Responding to environmental concerns, Adm Joshi rejected allegations that clearances had been rushed or improperly granted. He outlined a multi-layered approval process involving local, regional and national bodies, including scientific institutions, independent experts and regulatory agencies.
He noted that the project underwent scrutiny before the National Green Tribunal for nearly two years before receiving clearance, and that more than ₹2,250 crore has been earmarked over 30 years for environmental mitigation and conservation measures.
He was equally categorical on concerns regarding indigenous communities, stating that “not one tribal” resident would be displaced by the project.
Beyond Great Nicobar, Adm Joshi pointed to dramatic improvements in digital connectivity. Since the commissioning of the submarine optical fibre network linking Chennai to the islands, bandwidth capacity has increased nearly 200-fold, fundamentally changing communications across the archipelago.
Tourism infrastructure is also expanding rapidly, with multiple high-end hospitality projects awarded under PPP arrangements and plans to position the islands as a global scuba-diving destination.
Perhaps most significantly, Adm Joshi argued that the islands sit astride critical maritime routes connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
He highlighted emerging transport corridors around Thailand’s proposed land bridge and the strategic relevance of the 10-degree channel, suggesting that future trade flows could increasingly pass through waters dominated by the Andaman and Nicobar chain. In that context, he described the islands not as a springboard but as a gateway linking the Indo-Pacific.
For Adm Joshi, the Great Nicobar project is therefore not merely about a port, an airport or tourism. It is about transforming geography into strategic advantage and positioning the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a central node in India’s Indo-Pacific future.
