The Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration has commenced a document verification and resettlement census in Great Nicobar Island for the ₹92,000 crore mega-infrastructure project. Beginning on June 10, 2026, at Campbell Bay, the census is a mandatory precursor to land acquisition for a planned international container transhipment terminal, dual-use airport, power plant, and township. While the project seeks to cement India's strategic maritime footprint in the Indian Ocean, it faces intense scrutiny over its ecological impact on pristine rainforests and the indigenous Shompen and Nicobarese tribes.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration has officially notified the beginning of a resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) census on Great Nicobar Island. Initiated through a public notice from the Assistant Commissioner's office, families affected by the trunk infrastructure part of the project must undergo document verification. This marks the preliminary legal stage for land acquisition to clear space for the Centre's ₹92,000 crore infrastructure initiative.
The document verification for the census began on June 10, 2026, at the Kamal Basti recreation hall in Campbell Bay, Great Nicobar Island. Great Nicobar is the southernmost major island of India, strategically located near the busy East-West international shipping route and the Malacca Strait in the Andaman Sea.
This project is crucial for India’s strategic and economic footprint in the Indo-Pacific, directly aligning with the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision (relevant for UPSC GS Paper 2 and 3). Economically, an international transshipment terminal at Galathea Bay will reduce India's reliance on foreign ports like Colombo or Singapore. Environmentally, the sheer scale of deforestation, the impact on coral reefs, and threats to the critically endangered leatherback turtle present a monumental governance challenge in balancing national security with ecological preservation.
📌 [BACKGROUND — verify independently]
📌 [BACKGROUND — verify independently]
Currently, India lacks a major deep-water international transshipment hub comparable to Colombo (Sri Lanka) or Singapore, forcing much of India's international cargo to be transshipped abroad at a high revenue cost. The Galathea Bay terminal, planned for a massive 14.2 million TEU capacity, aims to rival these global hubs by capitalising on its location just 40 nautical miles from the East-West shipping corridor.
Core Concept: Island Coastal Regulation Zone (ICRZ) Notification, 2019
Q1. The Great Nicobar Island mega-infrastructure project is being implemented by which of the following agencies? [Easy]
A) NITI Aayog
B) Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO)
C) National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)
D) Border Roads Organisation (BRO)
Answer: B
Explanation: ANIIDCO is the designated nodal agency implementing the infrastructure project that was originally conceived by NITI Aayog.
Q2. Which of the following indigenous tribes resides in the Great Nicobar Island and is officially classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)? [Easy]
A) Sentinelese
B) Jarawa
C) Shompen
D) Onge
Answer: C
Explanation: The Shompen are a PVTG inhabiting the interior forests of Great Nicobar Island, potentially impacted by the project's expansion.
Q3. The Galathea Bay, the site for the proposed International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT), is located close to which major international maritime choke point? [Moderate]
A) Strait of Hormuz
B) Bab el-Mandeb
C) Malacca Strait
D) Sunda Strait
Answer: C
Explanation: Galathea Bay in Great Nicobar is highly strategic as it sits roughly 40 nautical miles from the East-West shipping route near the Malacca Strait.
Q4. To compensate for the diversion of 130.75 sq. km of forest land in Great Nicobar, the government has planned compensatory afforestation primarily in which states? [Moderate]
A) Arunachal Pradesh and Assam
B) Tamil Nadu and Kerala
C) Haryana and Madhya Pradesh
D) Gujarat and Rajasthan
Answer: C
Explanation: Due to a lack of suitable non-forest land on the islands, compensatory afforestation is planned in mainland states like Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.
Q5. Recently in June 2026, the central government approved ₹13,000 crore specifically for which component of the Great Nicobar Project? [Moderate]
A) Gas and solar power plant
B) Dual-use greenfield airport
C) International transshipment port
D) Tourist township
Answer: B
Explanation: The Centre approved up to ₹13,000 crore specifically for the dual-use airport at Campbell Bay, funded jointly by the Defence and Civil Aviation ministries.
Q6. Consider the regulatory framework for the Great Nicobar project. Under which of the following were the statutory clearances primarily granted? [Tricky]
A) Forest Rights Act, 2006 and CRZ Notification, 2011
B) EIA Notification, 2006 and Island Coastal Regulation Zone (ICRZ) Notification, 2019
C) Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2019
D) Environment Protection Act, 1986 and Indian Forest Act, 1927 exclusively
Answer: B
Explanation: The megaproject received its primary statutory clearances under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, and the ICRZ Notification, 2019.
Q7. What is the primary strategic and economic rationale for developing the transshipment port in Great Nicobar instead of relying on mainland Indian ports? [Tricky]
A) Mainland ports cannot be expanded further due to urban congestion
B) Mainland ports lack the deep-water drafts required for ultra-large container vessels
C) The island falls completely outside the jurisdiction of Indian maritime tax laws
D) It is the only port capable of exporting coal to Southeast Asia
Answer: B
Explanation: India's mainland ports currently lack the natural deep-water berths necessary for ultra-large container ships, forcing heavy cargo routing through foreign ports like Colombo.
Q8. Which of the following statements accurately describes the demographic impact of the Great Nicobar Project as outlined in the development plan? [Tricky]
A) The island will be completely depopulated of non-tribal residents to protect the ecology
B) The population is projected to increase from around 8,000 to nearly 3.5 lakh as the project develops
C) Only military personnel will be allowed to reside in the newly developed township
D) The Shompen tribe will be officially relocated to the mainland for better rehabilitation
Answer: B
Explanation: The project envisions a massive demographic shift, growing the island's population from ~8,000 to hundreds of thousands to support the massive township and economic hubs.
PYQ 1:
Which one of the following is the southernmost island of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, hosting the Galathea National Park?
A) Little Andaman
B) Middle Andaman
C) Car Nicobar
D) Great Nicobar
Answer: D
Explanation: Great Nicobar is the southernmost island of India and is the site of the Galathea National Park and Galathea Bay.
PYQ 2:
Consider the following statements regarding the Great Nicobar Island mega-project:
1. It includes a proposal for a 14.2 million TEU capacity International Container Transhipment Terminal.
2. The project will result in a net reduction of the officially marked Tribal Reserve area on the island.
3. The Environmental Clearance mandates specific coral protection and translocation strategies.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
A) 1 and 2 only
B) 1 and 3 only
C) 2 and 3 only
D) 1, 2, and 3
Answer: B
Explanation: Statement 2 is incorrect because while 73.07 sq. km of tribal reserve is de-notified, 76.98 sq. km is re-notified, resulting in a net addition of 3.912 sq. km to the tribal reserve. Statements 1 and 3 are factually correct.
PYQ 3:
Match the following ecological features with their relevance to the Great Nicobar Project:
1. Leatherback Turtle
2. Shompen
3. Galathea Bay
A. Proposed site for the transshipment port
B. Vulnerable indigenous community
C. Critically endangered marine species nesting in the region
Select the correct code:
A) 1-C, 2-B, 3-A
B) 1-A, 2-C, 3-B
C) 1-B, 2-A, 3-C
D) 1-C, 2-A, 3-B
Answer: A
Explanation: Leatherback turtles nest in the region; the Shompen are the indigenous PVTG; and Galathea Bay is the specific site for the new port.
Question 1 (150 words): "The Great Nicobar megaproject presents a classic dilemma between strategic infrastructure and ecological conservation." Discuss.
The ₹92,000 crore Great Nicobar mega-infrastructure project highlights the complex balance between national security and environmental stewardship. Strategically, an international transshipment terminal at Galathea Bay and a dual-use airport are imperative. Located just 40 nautical miles from the Malacca Strait, the port aims to counter foreign dominance in the Indian Ocean, reduce dependency on transit hubs like Colombo, and project India's maritime power under the SAGAR vision.
However, the ecological cost is severe. The diversion of 130.75 sq. km of pristine tropical forest will result in the felling of an estimated 18.65 lakh trees. Furthermore, the construction threatens the nesting grounds of the globally threatened Leatherback turtle and disrupts the habitat of the Shompen, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group.
Moving forward, the government must strictly enforce the environmental management plans mandated by the NGT, ensuring that compensatory afforestation in mainland states is rigorously monitored to mitigate irreversible biodiversity loss.
Question 2 (250 words): Critically examine the rationale and the socio-environmental implications of the Great Nicobar Island holistic development project. How can the government ensure inclusive development in this fragile ecosystem?
The Great Nicobar Holistic Development Project, conceived by NITI Aayog, is a ₹92,000 crore initiative encompassing an international container transshipment terminal, a greenfield dual-use airport, a power plant, and a tourist township. Its rationale is rooted deeply in geoeconomics and geostrategy. India currently loses significant revenue by routing cargo through foreign ports due to the lack of deep-water berths. Developing Galathea Bay, near the East-West shipping corridor, will establish an indigenous transshipment hub and bolster military logistics in the Indo-Pacific.
Despite these strategic gains, the socio-environmental implications are profound. The island is a recognized UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with high endemism. The project requires the diversion of 1.82% of the archipelago's forest cover (130.75 sq. km), directly impacting marine ecosystems, coral reefs, and local hydrology. Socially, the resettlement census initiated in June 2026 marks the beginning of land acquisition that overlaps with tribal reserves. Though the government claims a net addition to the tribal reserve acreage, the influx of a projected 3.5 lakh population risks overwhelming the indigenous Shompen and Nicobarese tribes, fundamentally altering their centuries-old way of life.
To ensure inclusive development, the administration must adopt adaptive management. Independent scientific oversight is required to monitor real-time ecological thresholds, such as coral health and shoreline changes. Furthermore, the resettlement and rehabilitation process must transcend mere financial compensation, involving continuous, substantive dialogue with the tribal councils to protect their cultural integrity under the Island Coastal Regulation Zone (ICRZ) safeguards.
For Prelims, examiners will heavily focus on geographical locations (Galathea Bay, Ten Degree Channel), the statutory bodies involved (NGT, ANIIDCO), and environmental facts (Leatherback turtle, Shompen PVTG). For Mains (GS3), expect an analytical question weighing maritime security and port-led development against environmental impact assessments and tribal displacement. In Interviews, you may be asked to defend or critique the project; maintaining a balanced view supporting strategic needs while demanding strict ecological compliance is expected. High-probability prediction: A map-based Prelims question connecting the Malacca Strait to Great Nicobar.
This Why Great Nicobar Project Costs ₹92,000 Crores Explained breaks down the scale and strategic importance of the infrastructure project for your UPSC geography and economy preparation.