It's one of the world's most isolated islands. Here come the bulldozers

NPR ^ | June 7, 2026 | Omkar Khandekar , Leesha K Nair

[BenLurkin]

The Great Nicobar Island is part of an archipelago that lies deep in the Indian Ocean.

It's governed by India but is so distant that it takes a flight from the mainland and a 30-hour ferry ride to arrive.

The upcoming Great Nicobar Project is set to transform this sleepy island into a bustling township over the next three decades.

Once complete, the island will have a civilian and military airport, a transshipment port that caters to container ships, a power plant and a new town equipped to host a million tourists a year...

In a press release in May, the Indian government said the goal is "to enhance India's national security, strategic and defense presence, strengthen the islands' economic position, and accelerate holistic development in the region."

It says the project can also help "challenge the dominance" of China in the Indian Ocean. Analysts say the shipping blockade in the Strait of Hormuz stemming from the Iran war has lent an air of urgency.

"If we think about global choke points today, especially in light of conflict in the Strait of Hormuz, India is one of many countries that are looking to secure their own supply lines," says Nitya Labh, a maritime researcher from the think-tank Chatham House.

"The project here is a great opportunity to do that because it sits along such a major international shipping route," she says, referring to the Strait of Malacca, a narrow maritime pathway that lies between Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

In a 2023 press release, the Indian government said nearly 75% of India's maritime cargo today is handled at ports outside India. With a new project, it said, "Indian ports can save $200-220 million each year on transshipment cargo" and grab a share of the regional goods traffic.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: ccp; china; defundnpr; india; indianocean; leeshaknair; nicobarislands; npr; omkarkhandekar; straitofmalacca

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

They should have done it a long time ago.

[healy61]

Isn’t India where the s*** in the river; wrap their death in cloth and float them in the river; and use the river as a sewer? Yeah, what a vacation that would be. I’ll pass on the s*** floaters.

[Red Badger]

The Andaman Islands are right next door..................😏

[Thank You Rush]

“”75% of India’s maritime cargo today is handled at ports outside India.””

And probably that same % are call centers in India for businesses in the US...Make a call and HOPE someone answers you can understand..

[Libloather]

This is the Taylor Swift oasis, no? She’ll be on every speaker.

[Carry_Okie]

It's governed by India but is so distant that it takes a flight from the mainland and a 30-hour ferry ride to arrive.

Given the location, one would have thought it was governed by Indonesia.

[crusty old prospector]

Watch out for the spear chunkers.

[DIRTYSECRET]

What’s surprising is the neocons here not wanting in on the action. We won’t have a problem with it. Place looks beautiful and untouched. Hope they don’t spoil it.

[FoxInSocks]

And more plainly, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party that governs India has described the project as a "strategic gateway to crush China" in a series of social media posts.

It says the project can also help "challenge the dominance" of China in the Indian Ocean. Analysts say the shipping blockade in the Strait of Hormuz stemming from the Iran war has lent an air of urgency.

If it hampers China at all, I’m for it.

[ComputerGuy]

One thing’s for sure, and that is the fact that the locals won’t get much of a say in the matter. Unless they own land.

[DIRTYSECRET]

Interesting read. The process is no different than anything else in world history. Colonialism. Greenland. Hopefully the encroaching people can respect the locals more than they have in the past but it’s always gonna be too much. If any backwards people are gonna be dominated by outsiders it’s better if the US is the one doing it and it will be thankless. Guilt trips. If it’s India you can be sure they’re going in like gangbusters.

[logi_cal869]

The clamor to protect nature has grown sharper as India sees a rise in heatwaves, glacial floods and extreme rainfall in recent years.

*Shocker* /s

[sauropod]

.

[HYPOCRACY]

“The upcoming Great Nicobar Project is set to transform this sleepy island into a bustling township over the next three decades.”

“It says the project can also help “challenge the dominance” of China in the Indian Ocean. Analysts say the shipping blockade in the Strait of Hormuz stemming from the Iran war has lent an air of urgency.”

How does one reconcile the first statement with the second? 3 decades = air of urgency?

[redangus]

If this island is that far from India, I don’t see how it works as a transhipment locale. And yes, it does look like logically it should be part of Indonesia. Guessing India’s possession goes back to the British colonial days.

[TexasFreeper2009]

This island is closer to Thailand than India.

[caver]

A thirty hour ferry ride on an Indian ferry? NFY!

[9422WMR]

They have an airport already on the island. Airplane ride and 30 hour ferry Ride? BS!
2W7F+C8 Southern Most Airport of India, Shaheed Bagha Jatin Airport, Tenlaa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands 744302, India

[Wuli]

Wait, wait - what about sea level rise!!!! /sarc