Great Nicobar Island, the southernmost tip of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, is one of the most pristine and isolated ecosystems on the planet, and the home of the Shompen and the Nicobarese tribes and unique wildlife. The Indian government has sanctioned a ₹72,000-crore mega-infrastructure initiative called the ‘Holistic Development of Great Nicobar Island’. A transshipment hub at Great Nicobar could on the other hand allow India to service its own cargo as well as attract international vessels. ‘Inaccuracies, procedural violations’ in Great Nicobar draft environment impact assessment reportThe rapidity raised eyebrows because the project required denotifying parts of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and tribal reserve. Tribal leaders continue to protest, with captains from Great Nicobar alleging publicly that they were forced by district administrations to sign “surrender certificates” for their land, further fuelling suspicions that the government is bulldozing the project through.

Source: The Hindu February 01, 2026 02:13 UTC