Campbell Bay, Great Nicobar 29: Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met members of the Nicobarese tribal community in Great Nicobar, days after holding discussions in Swaraj Dweep (Havelock Island), bringing renewed political focus to the ambitious Great Nicobar Islands project and the concerns surrounding it.
The interaction at Campbell Bay comes as part of Gandhi’s three-day visit to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from April 26 to 28, during which he had earlier indicated the need for a closer, ground-level understanding of the project. During his meeting with representatives of The Wave Andaman in Havelock on April 27, Gandhi had said the issue required sustained attention and had expressed the possibility of visiting Great Nicobar to directly engage with affected communities.
That engagement materialised during his visit to Campbell Bay, a location central to the proposed ₹72,000 crore infrastructure plan. The project includes a transshipment port at Galathea Bay, a greenfield airport, a township and power infrastructure, and is being positioned as a major maritime and logistics hub near the strategically significant Malacca Strait.
During Tuesday’s interaction, tribal leaders and residents raised a wide range of concerns, echoing issues that have been building over the past months. Community representatives pointed to potential threats to ancestral lands, biodiversity and traditional livelihoods, while also questioning the extent of consultation with indigenous stakeholders.
Speakers highlighted fears of displacement, disruption of cultural identity, and long-term ecological consequences. Concerns were also raised about the impact on marine ecosystems, including nesting sites of endangered sea turtles, and the broader environmental implications of large-scale construction in a fragile island ecosystem.
Addressing the gathering, Gandhi said he had come to listen directly to the people and understand the situation beyond official narratives. He reiterated that development must be balanced and should not come at the cost of local communities or ecological stability. He assured the Nicobarese community that he would support efforts to protect their land, rights and future.
The concerns raised during the meeting are not new. On March 20, a delegation from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, including members of the Nicobar Tribal Council and political representatives, had met Gandhi to present apprehensions regarding environmental sustainability and tribal rights linked to the project. The delegation had warned that the scale of the proposed development could disrupt ecological balance and adversely affect indigenous communities such as the Nicobarese and Shompen tribes. Gandhi had then acknowledged the concerns and indicated that he would examine the issues further and engage with them at appropriate platforms.
In his earlier interaction in Havelock, Gandhi had also described the islands as “remarkably beautiful,” while noting that projects of such magnitude required careful scrutiny. He had remarked that if he was unable to visit Great Nicobar during the current trip, he would return to better understand the concerns—an indication that the issue would remain on his political agenda.
Beyond environmental and social concerns, the project has also faced scrutiny on financial and structural grounds. Official discussions within the government have raised questions over the commercial viability and funding framework of the proposed international transshipment port at Galathea Bay. Multiple departments have flagged issues related to viability gap funding, revenue projections and the overall public-private partnership structure, indicating that key aspects of the project remain under examination.
These overlapping concerns, ecological, social and financial, have placed the Great Nicobar project at the centre of a wider debate on development in ecologically sensitive regions. While proponents argue that the project could transform India’s maritime capabilities and boost regional growth, critics maintain that it risks undermining environmental sustainability and indigenous rights if not carefully implemented.
Local leaders described Gandhi’s visit to Campbell Bay as significant, noting that it provided a rare opportunity for direct engagement between a national political figure and the Nicobarese community. Many expressed hope that their concerns would gain greater visibility at the national level.
The meeting concluded with Gandhi reiterating his commitment to stand with the Nicobarese people and raise their concerns in appropriate forums. As discussions continue, the Great Nicobar Islands project remains a focal point of policy, political and public debate—highlighting the challenge of balancing strategic ambition with ecological preservation and social justice.
