Geo-strategic Necessity, says Tuhin A Sinha

For decades, India has aspired to emerge as a leading maritime power. Yet, despite its commanding location in the Indian Ocean, the country has often underutilised its geographical advantages. The Great Nicobar presents an opportunity to rectify that historic gap. Located close to the western entrance of the Strait of Malacca, through which a substantial share of global trade and energy passes every year, the island provides India with a unique vantage point over one of the most critical sea lanes of communication in the world.

The proposed development of the Great Nicobar includes an international transshipment terminal, a greenfield airport, power infrastructure and supporting urban facilities. While these assets will undoubtedly generate economic opportunities, their larger significance lies in the strategic capabilities they will create. The project will strengthen India’s maritime presence in the eastern Indian Ocean, enhance surveillance and domain awareness, improve logistical support for both civilian and military operations and bolster the country’s ability to respond swiftly to emerging security challenges.

Strategic Platform

These considerations assume even greater importance in the context of the evolving Indo-Pacific security landscape. China’s rapidly expanding naval presence, its growing network of strategic ports across the Indian Ocean region and its increasing influence over critical maritime infrastructure have fundamentally altered regional geopolitics. Nations across the Indo-Pacific are investing heavily in maritime capabilities and strategic infrastructure to secure their interests. India cannot afford to remain a passive observer.

The Great Nicobar offers India a strategic platform from which it can monitor maritime activity, strengthen deterrence and reinforce its role as a net security provider in the region. In strategic terms, the island functions as a natural forward outpost, enabling India to maintain a stronger presence near one of the world’s most important maritime arteries. The project is therefore not about militarisation; it is about ensuring that India possesses the infrastructure and capabilities necessary to safeguard its legitimate interests in an increasingly contested maritime environment.

Critics of the project have raised concerns regarding its environmental impact. Such concerns, of course, deserve serious consideration. The Great Nicobar is ecologically rich and home to unique biodiversity that must be protected. However, the debate must be guided by facts rather than by the assumption that development and conservation are inherently incompatible.

The project has undergone extensive environmental scrutiny and multiple layers of regulatory assessment. Environmental safeguards, mitigation measures and monitoring mechanisms have been incorporated into its implementation framework. The objective is not indiscriminate development, but carefully planned infrastructure creation that balances strategic requirements with ecological responsibility.

Rigorous Examination

Indeed, India’s environmental regulatory framework exists precisely to ensure that projects of national importance proceed only after rigorous examination and subject to strict conditions. The Great Nicobar Project has been subjected to precisely such scrutiny. As implementation progresses, continuous monitoring, scientific oversight and strict compliance with environmental norms will remain essential. National security and environmental stewardship are not competing objectives; they are complementary responsibilities of a mature nation-state.

Equally important is the protection of the island’s indigenous communities. The Shompen and Nicobarese tribes are an invaluable part of India’s civilisational and cultural heritage. Their rights, traditions and way of life must remain fully safeguarded. The project framework recognises this responsibility and incorporates measures aimed to protect tribal habitats and minimise interference with traditional lifestyles. Development cannot come at the cost of indigenous dignity, and there is both a constitutional and moral obligation to ensure that these communities remain secure, protected and empowered. A confident nation is one that advances strategically while preserving its cultural and human heritage.

The larger question, therefore, is not whether the Great Nicobar should be developed, but whether India can afford to leave such a strategically critical asset underdeveloped at a time of profound geopolitical change. History offers a clear lesson: nations that recognise and leverage their geographic advantages strengthen their influence; those that neglect them eventually find themselves reacting to circumstances shaped by others.

Singapore transformed its strategic location into global maritime prominence. The US built enduring influence across the Pacific through strategic island infrastructure. China today is investing heavily in maritime connectivity and port networks to expand its geopolitical reach. India must display similar strategic foresight.

The Great Nicobar Project represents a rare convergence of economic opportunity, strategic necessity and national vision. It strengthens India’s ability to secure critical sea lanes, project stability across the Indo-Pacific and reduce vulnerabilities in an increasingly uncertain world. At the same time, robust environmental safeguards and protections for indigenous communities can ensure that development proceeds responsibly and sustainably.

Great nations are often defined by their ability to see beyond immediate debates and prepare for future realities. The Great Nicobar offers India such a moment. Geography has bestowed upon India a strategic advantage that few countries possess. The Great Nicobar Project is ultimately about ensuring that the nation has the wisdom, confidence and foresight to use that advantage in the service of its long-term national interests.

(Views expressed are personal)

Tuhin A. Sinha is national spokesperson of the BJP