India is transforming Great Nicobar Island, its southernmost territory in the Bay of Bengal, into a major strategic asset. Located near the Strait of Malacca, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, the island is being developed with an investment of about $9 billion.

The project includes a transshipment port, airport, township, and supporting infrastructure. It marks a shift in New Delhi's strategic thinking from a continental focus to a more outward-looking maritime posture.

However, the project faces criticism over its environmental and social impact, including the felling of approximately 852,000 trees and risks to Indigenous communities such as the Shompen.

Former Air Marshal R. Nambiar argues that the island's value lies in denying potential rivals control of the region. "We do not need to project power. We need to deny the adversary passage through our backyard," he told DW.

Beijing has spent two decades building influence across the Indian Ocean, securing port access in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Djibouti. Great Nicobar is, in part, India's answer to that accumulation of pressure.

Expert Srikanth Kondapalli says the driver of the project is "economic first, strategic second," noting that China has developed around 3,000 islands since the 1990s. India is trying to do something similar.

The long-term strategic impact remains uncertain. Atul Kumar cautions that while it enhances surveillance and deterrence, it does not provide a chokehold. Sustained interdiction would require far greater capabilities.

Source: www.dw.com