Great Nicobar Island Development Project
The Great Nicobar Island Development Project is a flagship infrastructure initiative conceived by NITI Aayog for Great Nicobar — the largest of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, located at a strategic position near the Strait of Malacca and the international shipping lane connecting the Indian Ocean to the Pacific. The project was granted environmental clearance in November 2022 and encompasses four major components developed in three phases over 30 years, with Phase 1 completion targeted by 2028. It has been justified on grounds of economic benefit, port competition with Singapore and Colombo, and strategic military positioning in the Bay of Bengal.
- International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT) at Galathea Bay: capacity of 16 million TEUs per year (4 million TEUs in Phase 1).
- Dual-use airport (civilian and defence): 3,300-metre runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft.
- Power plant: 450 MVA hybrid gas-solar facility, largely within protected forest land.
- Township: two greenfield coastal townships designed to eventually accommodate 350,000 residents.
- Estimated cost: ₹81,000 crore (approximately USD 9.7 billion).
- Environmental clearance issued by MoEFCC's Expert Appraisal Committee in November 2022; approximately 9.64 lakh trees to be affected.
● Tracked since March 20, 2026 · last seen August 21, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes