Sri Vijaya Puram, June 4: Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, D.K. Joshi, has strongly defended the proposed Great Nicobar infrastructure project, describing it as a strategic necessity for India’s maritime future while stressing that development must proceed with ecological responsibility.
Writing in The Indian Express on Thursday, Joshi argued that the project should be viewed not merely as an infrastructure initiative but as a critical component of India’s long-term national security and economic strategy in the Indo-Pacific region.
The article comes amid continuing debate over the multi-component Great Nicobar development project, which includes a transshipment port at Galathea Bay, a greenfield airport, power infrastructure, and a new township. The project has drawn both support for its strategic and economic potential and criticism from environmental groups concerned about its ecological impact.
In his article titled “Great Nicobar Task: Pursuing National Security with Ecological Responsibility”, Joshi wrote that nations are increasingly being judged by their ability to anticipate geopolitical shifts and utilize geographical advantages effectively.
Describing Great Nicobar as one of India’s most strategically significant locations, he noted that the island sits close to some of the busiest maritime trade routes in the world and offers India a unique opportunity to strengthen its maritime presence in the Indo-Pacific.
According to Joshi, Great Nicobar’s location near major international sea lanes, including routes connecting the Indian Ocean with the Pacific through the Malacca Strait, gives it exceptional strategic value. He highlighted the island’s proximity to the Six Degree Channel, a key maritime passage linking global shipping routes between Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
The Lieutenant Governor argued that maritime security, trade routes, energy flows, undersea communication infrastructure, and naval deployments are becoming increasingly important components of global strategic competition.
He noted that around one lakh ships transit annually through the Malacca Strait-Six Degree Channel route and said India’s location near key maritime chokepoints such as the Malacca, Sunda, and Lombok Straits provides a significant geopolitical advantage.
Referring to changing dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region, Joshi observed that countries are increasingly investing in ports, logistics facilities, maritime surveillance systems, and economic corridors to expand their strategic influence.
He contended that India must respond through what he termed “strategic consolidation,” arguing that national sovereignty is strengthened when territories are connected, populated, serviced, economically productive, and strategically relevant.
According to the article, the proposed International Container Transshipment Port, airport, township, and supporting infrastructure in Great Nicobar would collectively enable India to establish a sustained and multidimensional presence in a strategically vital maritime zone.
Joshi also cited the National Green Tribunal’s observations on the project, noting that the tribunal had acknowledged its significance for economic development as well as defence and national security considerations.
Drawing comparisons with international examples, he referred to Singapore’s rise as a major maritime hub and the strategic role played by Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, arguing that infrastructure development can transform geographical advantages into long-term strategic influence.
The Lieutenant Governor further stated that a transshipment port in Great Nicobar could help reduce India’s dependence on foreign ports, strengthen supply-chain resilience, attract investment, generate employment, and provide greater control over cargo movement.
At the same time, Joshi acknowledged the environmental sensitivity of Great Nicobar and stressed that development must be undertaken with scientific monitoring, legal compliance, ecological safeguards, and mitigation measures.
“Ecological sensitivity cannot become a permanent veto on strategic thinking. The challenge is to pursue national security with ecological responsibility,” he wrote.
The article argues that the central question facing policymakers is whether India should responsibly develop a strategically important island at a time when the Indo-Pacific region is undergoing significant geopolitical and economic transformation.
Joshi concluded by describing the Great Nicobar project as an example of strategic foresight rather than extravagance. He said India should view the island not as a remote frontier but as a critical gateway to future opportunities in the Indo-Pacific.
The Lieutenant Governor, who also serves as Vice Chairman of the Islands Development Agency, is a former Chief of Naval Staff and served as Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command during 2009-10.
The article adds to the ongoing national discussion surrounding the Great Nicobar project, which remains one of the most ambitious infrastructure and strategic development initiatives proposed for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
