NGT clears Greater Nicobar project. Adani & others eye ₹92,000-crore deep-sea transshipment port

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has cleared the Great Nicobar infrastructure project, paving the way for the development of a deep-sea international container transshipment port at Galathea Bay, along with a township and supporting power infrastructure. The tribunal said safeguards had been incorporated in the environmental clearance while underlining the need for strict compliance during execution .

The project on Great Nicobar Island was conceptualised under a comprehensive development plan prepared by NITI Aayog and formally proposed in 2021 . Strategically located, Great Nicobar Island is only about 90 km from the western tip of the Malacca Strait , an important shipping route linking the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, making it central to India’s maritime trade and security calculus .

The plan envisages a deep-sea transshipment terminal, port-led urban development and a gas- and solar-based power plant. Government planning documents and submissions before statutory authorities have estimated the overall investment at around ₹92,000 crore , to be implemented in phases.

Industry interest in the project had emerged early. In March 2023 , Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata called for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the development, operation and maintenance of Phase-I of the International Container Transshipment Port at Galathea Bay. Ten entities , including Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited , responded to the EOI, indicating strong private sector interest in the project.

The government has argued that the project would enable India to retain transshipment cargo currently handled at foreign ports , improve logistics efficiency, generate employment and strengthen India’s strategic presence in the Indian Ocean region .

Environmental groups and conservationists, however, have opposed the project, warning that large-scale construction could irreversibly damage fragile ecosystems on the island. Petitioners before the tribunal raised concerns over potential impacts on rainforests, coral reefs and turtle nesting beaches, as well as endemic species and the rights and livelihoods of indigenous communities, questioning the adequacy of ecological studies and the enforceability of mitigation measures.

While granting clearance, the NGT acknowledged both the project’s strategic importance and the ecological sensitivity of the island, calling for a balanced approach and directing authorities to ensure strict adherence to environmental and coastal regulation norms as development proceeds.