Sri Vijaya Puram, June 22: Lieutenant Governor Admiral (Retd.) D.K. Joshi on Saturday urged industry leaders to invest not only in projects in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands but also in what he described as the larger “idea of Andaman”, calling for greater private-sector participation in the islands’ development.
Speaking at the Andaman Ideas Summit 2026, Joshi said investors and businesses had an opportunity to play a role in bringing the archipelago into India’s mainstream economic and strategic discourse.
“Not only for them to bring in investments into the islands, which we certainly hope they do, but to become invested in the idea of getting Andaman its rightful place in the national mainstream discourse,” he said.
Describing the summit as a potential investors’ meet, Joshi said the gathering had brought together stakeholders from hospitality, tourism, infrastructure, business and policy, reflecting growing interest in the islands and their future.
He said the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have historically received less attention than their strategic and economic significance warrants, despite occupying a key position in the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific region.
According to Joshi, the islands’ development cannot be driven by government efforts alone and would require sustained participation from private capital and industry.
He argued that investment decisions should be viewed in the context of the islands’ long-term transformation rather than as standalone projects.
Highlighting the archipelago’s strategic importance, Joshi noted that the islands overlook the Strait of Malacca, one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Nearly one lakh vessels transit the route annually.
He also pointed out that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands account for nearly one-third of India’s Exclusive Economic Zone and about one-fourth of the country’s coastline.
Despite these advantages, geography alone does not create economic value, he said.
“Geography bestows upon you an advantage, but left to itself, it does not turn into leverage,” Joshi said.
To convert that advantage into opportunity, he said, the islands require investments in infrastructure, connectivity, industries and economic activity.
Joshi said the pace of such development remained limited for decades after Independence but has accelerated in recent years through a series of infrastructure initiatives.
He cited projects such as the Chennai-Andaman submarine optical fibre cable, airport expansion plans, proposed greenfield airports, port development projects and improved inter-island connectivity as examples of efforts aimed at unlocking the region’s potential.
According to the Lieutenant Governor, these initiatives are helping position the islands as an increasingly important component of India’s maritime economy and Indo-Pacific strategy.
His remarks echoed a recurring theme of the summit, that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands should be viewed not as a remote frontier but as a strategic national asset with a growing role in India’s economic and geopolitical future.
