His remarks come amid the ongoing debate over the ambitious Great Nicobar project, which includes an international container transhipment terminal, a greenfield international airport, power infrastructure and a township in the southernmost part of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago.
'External agencies fuelling opposition to Great Nicobar project,' alleges Union Minister Kiren Rijiju. (Pic: IANS)
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has claimed that opposition to the proposed Great Nicobar infrastructure project is being “fuelled by external agencies”, saying strategically important projects cannot be viewed only through the lens of commercial or environmental considerations. Addressing a gathering at the Andaman Ideas Summit 2026 in Sri Vijaya Puram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, on Saturday, Rijiju said certain groups opposing major infrastructure initiatives in strategically sensitive regions could have influences beyond what is visible publicly.
Responding to a question on opposition to the proposed transhipment port project, Rijiju said, “There are certain groups which are working very hard, and they are being fuelled by external agencies. The world is very complicated.”
Advertisement
His remarks come amid the ongoing debate over the ambitious Great Nicobar project, which includes an international container transhipment terminal, a greenfield international airport, power infrastructure and a township in the southernmost part of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago.
Advertisement
The Union Minister stressed that projects in strategically important locations must be assessed keeping India’s long-term national interests in mind.
“Not every project is commercial. Many infrastructure projects are driven by the country’s strategic interests,” he said.
During the interaction, Rijiju highlighted the strategic importance of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, saying India had historically failed to fully recognise the significance of the archipelago.
“The problem was not geography; it was mindset,” he said, referring to what he described as decades of underappreciation of the islands’ potential.
He added that the islands would have a growing role in India’s Indo-Pacific strategy and future economic growth.
“The 21st century will increasingly be shaped by developments in the Indo-Pacific region. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands occupy a critical position in this emerging geopolitical landscape,” Rijiju said.
The Great Nicobar project has emerged as one of India’s major strategic infrastructure plans, viewed as an effort to strengthen its maritime presence in the eastern Indian Ocean and utilise its proximity to the Strait of Malacca, one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors.
Rijiju said development decisions in such regions must balance environmental sustainability, economic growth and national security considerations.
At the same time, environmental groups and conservationists have raised concerns over the project’s possible impact on forests, biodiversity and indigenous communities.
The Minister’s comments are expected to intensify the debate around the project, bringing a geopolitical dimension to the discussions over infrastructure development in the island territory.
Advertisement
