Address Misgivings

(Source: The Indian Express, Editorial Page)

Also Read: The Indian Express Editorial Analysis: 09 July 2025
Also Read: The Hindu Editorial Analysis: 09 July 2025

Topic: GS2: Governance & Transparency; GS3: Environmental Conservation, Security

Context

The editorial highlights how India’s recent strategic push in the Andaman and Nicobar region—particularly Great Nicobar Island—is geopolitically sound but democratically fragile. While asserting maritime power in the Indo-Pacific is essential to counter China, the secrecy, lack of public engagement, and environmental concerns threaten to undermine public trust and ecological sustainability.

Strategic Significance of the Great Nicobar Project

• The Great Nicobar Island holds immense strategic value due to its location near the Malacca Strait, one of the busiest maritime trade routes globally. Control over this point allows India to play a crucial role in ensuring maritime security and trade regulation in the Indo-Pacific.
• The project aims to build key military and civilian infrastructure such as a transshipment terminal, greenfield international airport, military logistics bases, solar-powered townships, and surveillance infrastructure. These will significantly boost India’s operational readiness in maritime defence.
• With China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy expanding aggressively in the Bay of Bengal, a strong Indian presence on Great Nicobar acts as a maritime deterrent and provides an operational edge in monitoring the eastern seaboard.
• The island is being developed as part of India’s Act East and Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) doctrine, reflecting India’s proactive engagement in shaping the Indo-Pacific regional order.

Environmental and Indigenous Rights Concerns

• The island is home to rich biodiversity, including fragile ecosystems like coral reefs, coastal forests, and endangered species such as the Nicobar megapode and leatherback turtle. Rapid infrastructure development threatens to permanently damage these sensitive ecosystems.
• The proposed project risks displacing the Shompen tribe, one of the most isolated and uncontacted tribal communities in the world. Experts and activists argue that their right to consent and cultural preservation is being ignored.
• In 2023, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the Ministry of Environment to re-examine environmental clearances, appointing a High-Powered Committee (HPC). However, the report remains classified, leading to criticism from civil society and legal experts.
• Wildlife and conservation groups argue that the Wildlife Conservation Plan (WCP) being used is based on old frameworks and has not been disclosed publicly, making it difficult to assess its credibility.

Concerns over Democratic Deficit and Transparency

• The government’s refusal to release the HPC report citing national security has raised concerns over the dilution of democratic principles. Environmental clearances, even in sensitive regions, must uphold transparency unless explicitly justified.
• Officials have denied RTI requests, claiming security exemptions under the RTI Act. This not only prevents media and civil society scrutiny but also weakens the public’s trust in governance mechanisms.
• The issue was raised in Parliament, but the government evaded detailed responses by citing the matter as “sub judice” (under judicial consideration). This tactic, while legally valid, undermines parliamentary accountability.
• The opacity of the process revives concerns about the misuse of strategic justifications to bypass environmental and tribal safeguards, setting a dangerous precedent for future strategic projects.

Strategic Objectives vs Governance Concerns

Strategic Objective	Government Justification	Civil Society and Legal Concerns
Maritime Security and Indo-Pacific Presence	Counters China’s naval footprint and protects trade routes	Transparency compromises democratic legitimacy
Infrastructure Development (Port, Airport)	Promotes economic growth and boosts India’s maritime economy	Threatens biodiversity and violates environmental laws
Military Logistics and Surveillance	Enhances rapid deployment capacity in the Bay of Bengal	Militarization of ecologically fragile zones
National Security Confidentiality	Strategic projects need secrecy to succeed	Used as a blanket to deny RTI and public participation
Tribal Consultation and Safeguards	Framework developed with expert inputs (e.g., Salim Ali Centre)	Shompen tribe not consulted; rights to consent not ensured

Legal and Constitutional Dimensions

• Article 21 (Right to Life) of the Indian Constitution includes the right to a clean and healthy environment. Projects that severely impact ecosystems without due process may violate this fundamental right.
• PESA Act (1996) and Forest Rights Act (2006) mandate that any development affecting tribal areas must be approved by Gram Sabhas. Failure to obtain such consent can render the project legally vulnerable.
• The precautionary principle, as part of environmental jurisprudence, mandates that in the absence of scientific certainty, development must not proceed if it risks irreversible environmental damage.
• Separation of powers is at stake if executive secrecy consistently overrides judicial and legislative oversight on critical national projects.

Conclusion

• The Great Nicobar Island development project exemplifies the complex balancing act between strategic imperatives and democratic values.
• While the project has undeniable merit in terms of national security and regional connectivity, the current lack of transparency and public consultation undermines India’s image as a participatory democracy.
• A project of such scale and significance cannot afford to sidestep environmental obligations and constitutional duties.

Way Forward

• The government must make the High-Powered Committee report public, with suitable redactions only in sections related directly to defence installations.
• A multi-stakeholder consultation process involving local communities, environmental experts, and independent legal bodies should be institutionalized to ensure all concerns are adequately addressed.
• The RTI framework should be revised to introduce better oversight over exemptions claimed under national security for development projects in ecologically sensitive regions.
• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Environment and Tribal Affairs must be empowered to conduct field reviews and present independent recommendations before clearances are finalized.
• India’s strategic communication strategy must evolve to be inclusive and credible, reinforcing that strategic development and democratic accountability can co-exist.

Practice Question: (GS-2 | 15 Marks | 250 Words) Strategic infrastructure development in ecologically sensitive zones like Great Nicobar Island poses both national security opportunities and democratic governance challenges. Examine this tension and suggest reforms to ensure sustainable, transparent, and inclusive decision-making.