Sri Vijaya Puram, June 22: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands account for nearly one-third of India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), one-fourth of its coastline and sit astride one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes, making them one of the country’s most strategically important territories, Lieutenant Governor Admiral (Retd.) D.K. Joshi said on Saturday.
Speaking at the Andaman Ideas Summit 2026, Joshi said the archipelago’s significance extends far beyond its geographical boundaries and places it at the centre of India’s maritime and Indo-Pacific strategy.
Calling the islands a “blessing of geography”, he said the Andaman and Nicobar Islands overlook the Strait of Malacca, through which nearly one lakh ships pass annually, carrying a substantial share of global trade between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
“That puts into perspective the geo-strategic relevance that these islands occupy,” Joshi said.
The Lieutenant Governor said the scale of the islands is often poorly understood on the mainland. The Union Territory comprises 836 islands spread across nearly 750 kilometres from north to south and has a landmass larger than several Indian states.
He said governance responsibilities extend across an area of nearly 49,000 square kilometres, requiring the administration to deliver healthcare, education, welfare schemes and essential supplies even to remote inhabited islands.
“We tend to think of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a small island territory. The reality is very different,” Joshi said.
Drawing comparisons with other island nations in the Indian Ocean Region, Joshi said the combined land area of Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritius would still be significantly smaller than that of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
According to him, the figures illustrate both the opportunities and responsibilities associated with the territory.
However, he cautioned that geography alone does not automatically translate into economic prosperity or strategic leverage.
“Geography by itself bestows upon you an advantage, but left to itself it does not turn into leverage,” he said.
To unlock the islands’ full potential, India must continue investing in infrastructure, connectivity, industries and economic activity, Joshi added.
The Lieutenant Governor said the islands’ strategic potential remained underutilised for decades after Independence due to limited infrastructure development. Over the last decade, however, this has begun to change through a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening connectivity and improving logistics.
He cited projects such as the submarine optical fibre cable network, airport expansion programmes, proposed greenfield airports, port-led development initiatives and enhanced inter-island connectivity as examples of the transformation underway.
According to Joshi, these projects are not merely development initiatives but part of a broader national effort to integrate the islands more closely with India’s maritime economy and Indo-Pacific vision.
His remarks echoed one of the central themes of the Andaman Ideas Summit 2026 — that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are not a distant frontier but a strategic national asset whose importance is becoming increasingly evident as India’s maritime ambitions expand.
With one-third of India’s EEZ and a commanding position near the Strait of Malacca, Joshi said the islands are poised to play a far greater role in India’s economic, maritime and strategic future.
