The Great Nicobar Project is a large-scale, greenfield infrastructure development concept, formally titled the Holistic Development of Great Nicobar Island. Conceived by NITI Aayog and approved by the Union Cabinet in 2021, the project is a strategic initiative with an estimated cost of around ₹72,000 crore to ₹81,000 crore. Its primary purpose is to strengthen India's strategic presence in the Andaman Sea and reduce the nation's reliance on foreign transshipment hubs like Singapore and Colombo.
The mechanism involves developing four core components on the island: an International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT) at Galathea Bay, a dual-use airport, a 450-MVA gas-solar power plant, and an integrated township. The project is planned to span 166.10 sq. km and is being implemented in phases over 30 years. A key provision is the diversion of 130.75 sq. km of forest land, which has necessitated approvals under the Forest (Conservation) Act and the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006.
The project connects directly to India's broader maritime and foreign policy, aligning with the Sagarmala initiative, Maritime India Vision 2030, and the Act East policy. Due to its location in a sensitive island ecosystem, it is governed by the Island Coastal Regulation Zone (ICRZ) Notification, 2019. Furthermore, the project's impact on the Shompen and Nicobarese Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) links it to the provisions of the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
The project's legal status was recently reaffirmed when the National Green Tribunal (NGT), in an order on February 16, 2026, refused to interfere with the environmental clearance granted in 2022. The NGT upheld the clearance, noting the project's strategic importance and the presence of "adequate safeguards" to mitigate ecological impacts, thus allowing the project to proceed without major recent changes to its core plan.