BARC Explores Andaman Sites For Small Modular Nuclear-Powered Future

BARC has initiated a site inspection exercise in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to assess potential locations for Small Modular Reactors. A team of scientists from the Department of Atomic Energy is currently in Sri Vijaya Puram, where they began their visit by meeting Lieutenant Governor Admiral D K Joshi (Retd).

During the meeting, the team presented details of possible sites and features of the proposed plan. Over the next four days, the scientists will inspect sites across all three districts of the archipelago.

The proposal comes at a time when the islands face rising electricity demand linked to major infrastructure projects. The Great Nicobar Project, which includes a deep-sea port, an international container transhipment terminal and an airport, is expected to significantly increase power requirements.

Presently, the islands rely entirely on diesel generator sets, with fuel transported from the mainland. This arrangement is under strain and may not be sustainable as commercial demand grows.

Alternatives to diesel-based generation have been considered. An offshore LNG re-gasification plant was proposed but has not materialised. Geothermal energy is also under study, though assessments of the islands’ geothermal resources could take years to complete.

Against this backdrop, Small Modular Reactors are being examined as a viable option. These reactors can be configured to suit island requirements, occupy less space than conventional nuclear plants, and are regarded as easier to manage.

Admiral Joshi, who also serves as vice-chairman of the Islands Development Agency, has long advocated the deployment of SMRs in the islands. At the Bharat Electricity Summit 2026, he highlighted their suitability for the archipelago, citing examples of countries in Seismic Zone-V operating similar systems, including offshore barge-mounted floating plants. He also pointed out their potential for rapid scalability and freshwater generation through cooling systems.

The strategic importance of the islands adds weight to the case for nuclear power. Located over 1,000 km from the mainland, the archipelago lies close to the Six Degree Channel, a maritime chokepoint leading to the Strait of Malacca.

The Great Nicobar Project is expected to enhance access for the Indian Navy and Air Force to this critical channel, strengthening India’s presence in the region.

According to sources, Admiral Joshi expressed keen interest in the BARC presentation and assured full support to the visiting team as they carry out the site assessment.

The initiative reflects the government’s broader push to integrate advanced nuclear technology into India’s energy mix, particularly in regions where conventional power generation is not feasible.

Agencies

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Government Approves ₹13,000-Crore Great Nicobar Airport, Shelves INS Baaz Expansion

The government has cleared the construction of a new ₹13,000-crore greenfield civil-military airport at Chingen near Galathea Bay on Great Nicobar Island, effectively shelving plans to expand the existing naval air station at INS Baaz in Campbell Bay.

The decision follows detailed studies which concluded that extending INS Baaz’s 4,500-foot runway to 10,000 feet was impractical due to terrain limitations, navigational challenges and infrastructure constraints.

Officials also noted that expansion could have posed greater risks to tribal settlements, forests and wildlife habitats compared to the proposed new site.

The new airport will serve both civilian and military aviation requirements, remaining under naval operational control while providing scope for future expansion. Strategically located near the western approaches of the Malacca Strait, the site offers India a vantage point over one of the busiest maritime chokepoints in the world.

A substantial share of global container traffic and energy shipments passes through these waters, making Great Nicobar a critical location for monitoring maritime activity and strengthening India’s surveillance and logistics footprint in the Indo-Pacific.

The airport is expected to be completed within five years and is one of four major infrastructure components under the ₹81,000-crore Great Nicobar Island Development Project. Alongside the airport, the project includes an International Container Transhipment Terminal at Galathea Bay, power infrastructure and township development.

The transhipment terminal is intended to reduce India’s dependence on foreign hubs such as Singapore and Colombo, positioning the country as a key player in global cargo movement. The government has consistently defended the project as a strategic investment to enhance India’s presence in the Indo-Pacific, improve connectivity and leverage the island’s proximity to vital shipping lanes.

Great Nicobar, India’s southernmost island, lies close to the Six Degree Channel leading into the Malacca Strait, through which a large portion of global maritime trade flows.

India already maintains a significant military presence in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, including INS Baaz commissioned in 2012, and the tri-services command established in 2001 to integrate the Army, Navy and Air Force. 

Strategic experts argue that strengthening infrastructure on the islands will enhance India’s ability to monitor maritime traffic, project power and counter China’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean Region.

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India’s ₹13,000 Crore Great Nicobar Airport To Strengthen Indo-Pacific Strategy And Economic Hub

India’s ₹13,000 crore investment in a dual-use airport at Great Nicobar Island represents a decisive move to strengthen both civilian connectivity and military readiness at the Strait of Malacca, one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, according to a report by TOI.

The project will serve as a forward operating base, enhancing surveillance, logistics, and deterrence while simultaneously positioning India as a major hub in global container traffic.

India has committed ₹13,000 crore to construct a new airport and runway on Great Nicobar Island, designed for both civilian and naval use. The project is expected to be completed within five years, with funding shared between the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

This dual-use infrastructure reflects a long-term vision of integrating economic development with military preparedness.

The location of Great Nicobar is of immense strategic importance. Situated just 40 nautical miles from international shipping lanes, the island overlooks the Strait of Malacca, through which nearly 75–80% of China’s energy imports pass.

By establishing an international airport with a naval enclave, India will expand its surveillance reach across the Malacca, Sunda, and Lombok straits, strengthening its ability to monitor and respond to maritime activity in the Indo-Pacific.

The airport will complement the Andaman and Nicobar Command, India’s only tri-services command, which already monitors Chinese naval movements.

Improved logistics and communications will enhance operational effectiveness, enabling forward deployments and reinforcing deterrence against coercive tactics. This development underscores India’s intent to assert influence in the Indo-Pacific, where maritime trade and energy flows define strategic competition.

Economically, the project is tied to the Maritime India Vision 2030, which includes plans for a trans-shipment hub at Galathea Bay. This facility will reduce India’s dependence on foreign ports such as Colombo, Dubai, and Singapore, saving millions in foreign exchange and positioning India as a key player in global container traffic. The port is expected to handle up to 14.2 million TEUs, rivalling established hubs in the region.

Supporting infrastructure will include a 450 MVA gas and solar-based power plant and the development of modern townships, transforming Great Nicobar into a sustainable economic hub. The government has emphasised that the project balances strategic and economic priorities with environmental safeguards and protection of indigenous communities.

Environmental clearance has been granted under strict compliance conditions, with compensatory afforestation planned and no displacement of Shompen or Nicobarese tribes.

The airport is projected to handle 1.35 million passengers annually by 2040, boosting tourism and regional connectivity. Its 10,000-foot runway will accommodate wide-body aircraft, large transport planes, and surveillance platforms, significantly enhancing India’s ability to project power and respond to crises in the Indian Ocean Region.

This initiative is not merely about infrastructure but about reshaping India’s maritime posture. By combining military readiness with economic development, India is creating a forward operating base that strengthens its leverage in the Indo-Pacific and directly impacts China’s energy security.

The Great Nicobar project thus represents a cornerstone of India’s long-term strategy to secure sea lanes, diversify trade routes, and assert its role as a rising power in the region.

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'Not About Defence,’ Says Rahul Gandhi On Great Nicobar Plan

Rahul Gandhi has intensified his criticism of the Great Nicobar Project, releasing a video of his visit to the island that shows him diving into the sea, travelling through dense forests, and interacting with tribals and locals.

In the 16‑minute video of his April trip, he accused the Modi government of misleading the public by claiming the project was about defence and a transhipment port, calling this narrative a “lie.”

He argued instead that the project was designed to benefit a major businessman, specifically naming Adani, who he alleged would use the development to build hotels and casinos on one of India’s most irreplaceable ecosystems.

Rahul Gandhi launched an online petition titled “we choose green over greed,” urging Indians to support environmental protection over corporate interests.

He appealed particularly to young Indians, asking them to reflect on whether they wanted to inherit an India where rainforests were bulldozed for casinos, coral reefs erased from maps, tribal communities displaced from their ancestral lands, and the air poisoned, or an India where natural heritage was safeguarded, tribal communities remained secure, and progress worked in harmony with nature.

He claimed that more than 1.5 crore trees, ancient coral reefs, and irreplaceable rainforests were being destroyed to profit a single businessman.

He further argued that if the government was genuinely concerned about defence on the island, it should abandon the project and instead expand INS Baaz, the naval air station located on Great Nicobar. 

According to him, the Navy had been requesting its expansion for five years, and this would serve India’s defence needs without causing ecological devastation.

Rahul Gandhi’s intervention comes at a time when the project has already triggered widespread concerns about environmental destruction and tribal displacement. His video and petition are part of a broader campaign to mobilise public opinion against the initiative, framing it as a clash between ecological preservation and corporate greed.

By naming Adani and linking the project to casinos and hotels, he has sought to sharpen the political debate, portraying the government’s defence rationale as a cover for private profit.

The controversy surrounding the Great Nicobar Project highlights the tension between strategic imperatives and environmental sustainability.

While the government insists the project is vital for India’s maritime security and economic development, opposition voices like Rahul Gandhi continue to raise alarms about its ecological and social costs.

His call to expand INS Baaz instead of pursuing large‑scale commercial development underscores his position that defence needs can be met without sacrificing India’s fragile island ecosystems.

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Why Great Nicobar Island Project Strengthens India’s Strategic And Economic Role In The Indo‑Pacific

India’s ₹90,000‑crore Great Nicobar Island Project is being positioned as one of the most ambitious maritime and economic undertakings in recent decades, combining strategic military imperatives with long‑term commercial benefits.

Spread across 166 square kilometres in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the initiative encompasses the development of a major transhipment port, an international airport, and supporting logistics and urban infrastructure. Its location near the Strait of Malacca, one of the busiest maritime trade corridors in the world, makes it central to India’s Indo‑Pacific strategy.

The transhipment port is planned with an eventual handling capacity of 16 million containers annually, with the first phase expected to be commissioned by 2028 at a cost of ₹18,000 crore.

This initial stage is projected to handle more than 4 million containers per year, reducing India’s reliance on foreign hubs such as Colombo, Singapore and Dubai. By strengthening supply chain resilience and cutting logistical inefficiencies, the port will enhance India’s role in global shipping networks and trade flows.

The strategic importance of the project is closely tied to the Malacca Strait’s role in global energy and trade. According to the US Energy Information Administration, the strait is the world’s largest oil transit chokepoint by volume, with around 23.2 million barrels per day passing through in the first half of 2025, accounting for nearly 29% of global maritime oil flows.

Crude oil makes up more than 70% of shipments, with China alone accounting for 48% of import volumes. India’s proximity to this chokepoint provides a critical vantage point for monitoring maritime trade and naval movements, reinforcing its ability to safeguard national interests.

Defence veterans have strongly backed the project, emphasising its dual military and economic significance. Former Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria described Great Nicobar as vital for national security, economic growth and military presence, noting that nearly 80% of China’s oil imports and a large share of its cargo pass through the Malacca Strait.

He compared its importance to the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting the need for India to establish a strong base in the region. Major General (Retd.) GS Rawat echoed this view, stressing the operational and strategic positioning of the island, while Lt Gen (Retd.) Rajeev Chaudhry warned that delays caused by environmental opposition or international pressure could benefit China.

He pointed to Beijing’s “String of Pearls” strategy, involving ports such as Gwadar, Hambantota and Kyaukpyu, and argued that a strong hub at Campbell Bay and Galathea Bay would counterbalance these efforts.

Economically, the project represents a decisive shift in India’s maritime strategy, which has historically underutilised island territories while focusing on continental security. By creating a self‑reliant transshipment hub, India aims to reduce dependence on foreign ports, strengthen its trade infrastructure, and reinforce its position as a strategic bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia.

The integration of advanced logistics systems, AI‑driven supply chains, smart port infrastructure and sustainable energy solutions is expected to modernise India’s maritime capabilities and enhance connectivity across the Indo‑Pacific.

At the same time, the initiative has sparked concerns over environmental sustainability and the impact on indigenous communities. Great Nicobar is home to ecologically sensitive habitats and rich biodiversity, raising questions about balancing infrastructure development with conservation.

Experts have stressed the importance of transparent environmental assessments, mitigation measures and meaningful engagement with local communities to ensure sustainable planning and the preservation of tribal heritage.

The project’s success will depend heavily on execution, governance and cost management. While proponents argue that delays in strengthening India’s maritime infrastructure could carry strategic consequences in a rapidly changing global order, critics highlight the risks of rising costs and environmental damage.

If implemented effectively, however, the Great Nicobar Project could emerge as a symbol of India’s maritime expansion, reinforcing its strategic role in the Indo‑Pacific and providing both military leverage and economic resilience.

Agencies

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