NGT Approved Great Nicobar Project | 17 Feb 2026

Source: IE 

Why in News? 

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has approved the Rs 81,000-crore Great Nicobar project, stating that it found “no good ground” to intervene, while imposing stringent conditions to safeguard the environment.  

• NGT acknowledged the "strategic importance of the project" and noted that "adequate safeguards" have been incorporated in the environmental clearance to mitigate ecological impacts. 

What Environmental Safeguards Have Been Imposed by the NGT?  

• Prevention of Erosion: The NGT directed that construction (including foreshore development) must not cause erosion or adverse shoreline changes near the project area or along any of the islands. 
• Protection of Sandy Beaches: It specifically ordered that there shall be "no loss of sandy beaches," recognizing these beaches as critical nesting sites for turtles and birds, and as natural protection for the islands. 
• Protection of Coral Reefs: It ordered the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to take "all measures" to protect coral reefs along the coastal stretch and to ensure "coral regeneration through proven scientific methods." Any existing scattered coral must be "translocated" as per Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) suggestions.  
• Protection of Endangered Species: The environmental clearance contains specific conditions for the protection of Leatherback sea turtles, Nicobar megapode, Saltwater crocodiles, Robber crab, Nicobar macaque and other endemic bird species of the Great Nicobar island. 
• Binding Nature of Conditions: The NGT stipulated that the government is bound by the conditions in the environmental clearance and must ensure these are not violated at any stage of project implementation. 

What is the Great Nicobar project? 

• About: The Great Nicobar Island (GNI) Project, conceived by the NITI Aayog and launched in 2021, is a mega infrastructure initiative aimed at transforming the southernmost island of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago into a strategic and economic hub. It aligns with India's Maritime Vision 2030 and Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. 
• Project Overview: It involves development at Galathea Bay, Pemmaya Bay, and Nanjappa Bay. The island is approximately equidistant from Colombo (Sri Lanka), Port Klang (Malaysia), and Singapore, placing India at the centre of regional sea trade. 
• Key Infrastructure Components: 
  • International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT): Aimed at enabling Great Nicobar to become a major player in the regional and global maritime economy by participating in cargo transhipment. 
  • Greenfield International Airport: To enhance civilian connectivity, tourism, and provide dual-use defence capability. 
  • Greenfield Township: To support the projected population and economic activities. 
  • Gas and Solar-Based Power Plant: To meet the energy requirements of the new infrastructure. 
• Tribal Safeguards: Development requires mandatory consultation with tribal welfare bodies (Andaman Adim Janjati VikasSamiti (AAJVS), Ministry of Tribal Affairs), as per the Jarawa (2004) and Shompen (2015) Policies. Consultation with the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) under Article 338A(9) confirms tribal interests will be protected. 
• Environmental Safeguards: The project includes 8 wildlife corridors for safe animal movement. Compensatory afforestation for felled trees is planned in Haryana, as the islands already have over 75% forest cover.

What is the Strategic Significance of the Great Nicobar Project? 

• Chokepoint Proximity: The island's location near the Malacca, Sunda, and Lombok Straits—critical waterways connecting the Indian Ocean to the Pacific—enables India to monitor vital sea lanes for global trade and energy supply. 
  • It also gives India proximity to Sabang (Indonesia), and the proposed Kra Canal (Thailand), underscoring its central role in Indo-Pacific sea routes. 
• Maritime Domain Awareness: It strengthens India's capacity to track naval movements, particularly concerning China's increasing presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and the military facility being built on the Coco Islands (Myanmar), located just 55 km north of India's Andaman & Nicobar Islands. 
• First Line of Defence: The Andaman & Nicobar Islands serve as India's first line of maritime defence, sharing sea boundaries with Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. This grants India a vast exclusive economic zone and continental shelf under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982 (UNCLOS). 
• Military Deterrence: The project facilitates the deployment of additional military forces, larger warships, aircraft, missile batteries, and troops, enabling close surveillance and building strong military deterrence. 
• Economic Significance: The ICTT aims to reduce India's reliance on foreign transhipment ports like Singapore and Colombo, integrating India into global supply chains. 

What Concerns are Associated with the Great Nicobar Project? 

• Impact on Indigenous Tribes: The project threatens to dispossess the Nicobarese of their ancestral land, much of which was devastated during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, uprooting communities with deep cultural and historical ties. 
• Environmental and Ecological Concerns: 
  • Rampant Deforestation: The project will clear 130 sq km of primary tropical rainforest (approximately 15% of GNI's land mass). Actual tree felling may exceed 10 million. 
  • Threat to Wildlife: The project threatens leatherback sea turtles in the Galathea Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, which was designated in 1997 for their conservation but was denotified in 2021 for the port. 
  • ICRZ Violations Alleged: Petitions alleged that 700 hectares of the proposed project fell within ICRZ areas, where development is strictly prohibited under the ICRZ Notification, 2019. 
• Compensatory Afforestation Issues: The diversion of pristine Nicobar forests is being "compensated" with land in Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, which critics argue fails to replicate the lost biodiversity of the unique island ecosystem. 
• Geological Concerns: The island's geology comprises tertiary sandstone, limestone, and shale over volcanic rocks, which amplify seismic shaking and are prone to liquefaction during earthquakes. 
• Legal Concerns: The Supreme Court-appointed Shekhar Singh Commission (2002) recommended a total ban on tree felling in tribal reserves and national parks, along with afforestation before felling—a rule currently not being followed. 

What Steps are Needed to Ensure the Sustainability of the Great Nicobar Project? 

• Ecological Conservation Strategies: Consider innovative legal mechanisms such as conferring legal personhood status upon the Great Nicobar ecosystem, ensuring conservation-centric decision-making. 
  • Establish long-term ecological monitoring for parameters like soil health, coastal erosion, and carbon emissions, with adaptive measures to safeguard turtle nesting sites and prevent habitat fragmentation. 
• Safeguarding Tribal Rights: Design resettlement packages that acknowledge pre-tsunami habitation patterns and implement restricted access protocols during construction to protect tribal communities. 
  • Mandate the inclusion of Tribal Councils of Great and Little Nicobar Islands in project-related deliberations, upholding their statutory rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. 
• Institutional Oversight and Transparency: Create a multi-stakeholder independent oversight authority comprising environmental experts, tribal representatives, and government nominees to monitor compliance with environmental and social safeguards, ensuring transparency and accountability. 
• Sustainable Economic Opportunities: Promote green employment in sectors like renewable energy, ecologically responsible tourism, and low-impact offshore activities. Align project outcomes with India's international commitments to biodiversity conservation and climate action.  

Conclusion 

The National Green Tribunal's approval of the Great Nicobar Project with stringent environmental conditions represents a calibrated attempt to balance national strategic interests with ecological preservation. However, successful implementation hinges on rigorous enforcement of safeguards, genuine consultation with indigenous PVTGs, and transparent institutional oversight to ensure development does not come at an irreversible cost.