The project, which includes an airport and power plant, aims to create a hub for trade and defense at the entrance to the Strait of Malacca, through which about one-third of global maritime trade passes. Great Nicobar is largely untouched, covered in dense rainforest and home to the isolated Shompen people. Critics warn that construction will clear at least 160 square kilometres of rainforest, threatening biodiversity and indigenous communities.
' Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav has defended the project, claiming it poses no threat to ecologically sensitive areas or the indigenous population. The Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, says the project is of great strategic and defence importance. The timeline for completion and status of environmental clearances remain unclear.
This could be one of the biggest frauds and the biggest theft of Indian ecological property ever committed.