Centre clears Rs 13,000-crore dual-use airport in Great Nicobar

The Centre has approved plans to invest up to Rs 13,000 crore for the construction of a dual-use airport in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as part of the Great Nicobar development project, according to defence ministry sources cited by ANI.

The airport will serve both civilian and military purposes and is expected to be completed within five years. The project will be jointly funded by the Defence Ministry and the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The airport is a key component of the Great Nicobar Project, a major strategic initiative aimed at strengthening India's presence in the Andaman Sea and Southeast Asia while promoting economic development in the region.

The broader project includes the construction of an International Container Transhipment Terminal with a capacity of 14.2 million TEU, a greenfield international airport, a 450 MVA gas and solar-based power plant, and a new township spread across 16,610 hectares.

According to an official statement, the project seeks to balance strategic and economic objectives with environmental protection and the interests of indigenous communities.

"The development follows a sensitive and holistic approach. It considers the needs of indigenous communities and aims to protect the island's ecological resources," an official PIB release stated.

The project will be implemented in three phases and will cover a total area of 166.10 square kilometres. This includes 35.35 square kilometres of revenue land and 130.75 square kilometres of forest land.

Great Nicobar is home to indigenous communities, including the Shompen tribe, a hunter-gatherer group with an estimated population of about 237, and the Nicobarese community, numbering around 1,094 people, who primarily depend on fishing and live in coastal settlements.

Officials say the project is intended to support long-term economic growth, strengthen strategic infrastructure, and improve connectivity while incorporating environmental and social safeguards.