COVER STORY
The Great Nicobar Project: Growth, Consent and the Cost of Change
No Easy Choices In Democracy
Outlook Magazine - The Great Nicobar Debate - 06 July 2026 Issue
Supporters of the Great Nicobar Project argue that the project is essential if India is to emerge as a major maritime power and secure its southernmost tip. Critics counter that the environmental costs could be irreversible, threatening fragile ecosystems, endangered wildlife and indigenous communities and would lead to large-scale deforestation and coastal alteration.
Outlook Cover StoryThe Great Nicobar Debate: Prosperity, Sovereignty and the Future of an Ancient World
The strategic importance of the Great Nicobar Project has collided with the island’s ecological significance
A Boost for India's Economic Sovereignity, says Admiral Karambir Singh (retd)
Former Chief of the Indian Navy Admiral Karambir Singh (retd), who has also served as the Chief of Staff of the Andaman and Nicobar Command, talks about the strategic importance of the Great Nicobar Project. He says the project should be viewed not only through the prism of environmental concerns but also in the context of India’s economic security, maritime interests, Indo-Pacific strategy and the evolving geopolitical landscape of the Indian Ocean Region. Edited excerpts from an exclusive interview with Saurabh Sharma.
ColumnGeo-strategic Necessity, says Tuhin A Sinha
The Great Nicobar Project is not merely an infrastructure initiative. It is a vital investment in India’s long-term security, maritime influence and economic resilience
We need Credible, Transparent Reassessment, says Rajeev Gowda
Rajeev Gowda, chair of the Congress Research Department and former Rajya Sabha member, argues that the project, in its current form, requires a transparent reassessment and greater scientific scrutiny. Edited excerpts from an interview with Fozia Yasin.
InterviewThe Environmental Cost is Unimaginable, says Debi Goenka
With more than 45 years of experience working for the conservation and protection of India’s environment, well-known conservationist Debi Goenka has fought battles across forests, coastlines and courtrooms.
The Great Nicobar Project is an investment for India’s security, economy and the country’s place in the Indo-Pacific
The Great Nicobar Project is an investment for India’s security, economy and the country’s place in the Indo-Pacific
Andaman and Nicobar: India’s Unsinkable Aircraft Carrier and Strategic Shield Against China in the Indian Ocean
Neglecting military development in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will be a heavy cost to bear for India
Great Nicobar Project: Transforming India into a Strategic Maritime and Transhipment Hub in the Indo-Pacific
The Great Nicobar Project, once completed, will strengthen India’s national defence and long-term supply-chain security in the Indo-Pacific and see the country emerging as a major maritime power
- Outlook Cover Story
The Great Nicobar Debate: Prosperity, Sovereignty and the Future of an Ancient World
The strategic importance of the Great Nicobar Project has collided with the island’s ecological significance
A Boost for India's Economic Sovereignity, says Admiral Karambir Singh (retd)
Former Chief of the Indian Navy Admiral Karambir Singh (retd), who has also served as the Chief of Staff of the Andaman and Nicobar Command, talks about the strategic importance of the Great Nicobar Project. He says the project should be viewed not only through the prism of environmental concerns but also in the context of India’s economic security, maritime interests, Indo-Pacific strategy and the evolving geopolitical landscape of the Indian Ocean Region. Edited excerpts from an exclusive interview with Saurabh Sharma.
- Column
Geo-strategic Necessity, says Tuhin A Sinha
The Great Nicobar Project is not merely an infrastructure initiative. It is a vital investment in India’s long-term security, maritime influence and economic resilience
We need Credible, Transparent Reassessment, says Rajeev Gowda
Rajeev Gowda, chair of the Congress Research Department and former Rajya Sabha member, argues that the project, in its current form, requires a transparent reassessment and greater scientific scrutiny. Edited excerpts from an interview with Fozia Yasin.
- Interview
The Environmental Cost is Unimaginable, says Debi Goenka
With more than 45 years of experience working for the conservation and protection of India’s environment, well-known conservationist Debi Goenka has fought battles across forests, coastlines and courtrooms.
The Great Nicobar Project is an investment for India’s security, economy and the country’s place in the Indo-Pacific
The Great Nicobar Project is an investment for India’s security, economy and the country’s place in the Indo-Pacific
The Great Nicobar Deception: Munish Tamang
The Great Nicobar Deception
Andaman and Nicobar: India’s Unsinkable Aircraft Carrier and Strategic Shield Against China in the Indian Ocean
Neglecting military development in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will be a heavy cost to bear for India
Great Nicobar Project: Transforming India into a Strategic Maritime and Transhipment Hub in the Indo-Pacific
The Great Nicobar Project, once completed, will strengthen India’s national defence and long-term supply-chain security in the Indo-Pacific and see the country emerging as a major maritime power
OTHER OUTLOOK MAGAZINE STORIES
Great Nicobar’s Crown Jewel Forest Under Threat: Why This Paradise Must Be Protected
Ancient rainforests, endemic and rare mammals, birds and reptiles, exotic species of trees, breathtaking corals and indigenous tribes... Great Nicobar is home to all this and a lot more
‘The Great Nicobar Project Needs A Rethink’: Manish Chandi
Manish Chandi, a social ecologist who has spent over two decades living and working in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has closely studied the region’s ecology, indigenous communities and changing landscapes. In an interview with Fozia Yasin, he reflects on what makes the island unique, the risks of large-scale transformation and what could be lost if development proceeds without a better understanding of its ecology, history and people. Edited excerpts
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Data from the government’s Sample Registration System, Statistical Report, 2024, shows falling fertility rates and high infant mortality, both worrying for policymakers
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Outgoing Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi who will be retiring at the end of this month talked to Saurabh Sharma in an exclusive interview about the key operational lessons from Operation Sindoor, the push towards jointness and theaterisation, the growing role of drones and artificial intelligence (AI) in warfare, counter-insurgency challenges, security along the Indo-Myanmar border and the Army’s preparations for a rapidly evolving battlefield shaped by technological disruption and multi-domain conflict. Edited excerpts:
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At the recent release of the Global Justice Report, economists Thomas Piketty and Anmol Somanchi talk to Parth Singh about a new global economic model that links climate action, inequality reduction and sustainable prosperity. Edited excerpts.
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Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram 2.0: Why India’s Anti-Defection Law Is Failing Democratic Legitimacy
India’s anti-defection law needs a constitutional reset
- Outlook Political In-depth
How Bulldozers are Changing Kolkata's Political Landscape
In the wake of a wave of demolition drives under the newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party government in West Bengal many say the bulldozer is being used as a political tool
- Outlook Education In-Depth
Coaching Centres as India’s Parallel Classrooms: A Symptom of Educational Faultlines
Parents are increasingly relying on coaching centres to bridge perceived academic gaps and prepare children for competitive examinations
- Outlook Health In-Depth
Why More Than Half the Population of India Remains Anaemic Despite Years of Intervention
From disputed estimates to hidden causes, India’s anaemia story is entering a new phase, one that could reshape how the country understands and addresses a condition affecting millions
How to Choose the Right Broking Partner: Discount Broker vs Full-Service Broker for Your Demat Account
The broking industry is now in a price-war phase, but cost is no longer the key differentiator. The choice will depend on how you plan to use a broking platform
Diplomacy’s Big Win: How India and Namibia Partnered to Bring Cheetahs to a New Home
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Join a reflective journey from London and Maidenhead to Stonehenge, where memories of Hardy’s Tess, conversations with a Sikh-identifying couple’s Pakistani driver and vivid descriptions of Neolithic history, solstice rituals and the Wiltshire landscape reveal why these are far more than ‘just stones’.
