Great Nicobar Airport Project Gets ₹13,000 Crore Approval

The Centre approved up to ₹13,000 crore for a dual-use airport at Great Nicobar Island on 8 June 2026. The airport is part of the Great Nicobar Project in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and will support civilian and military operations, including use by the Indian Navy.

Great Nicobar Project

The Great Nicobar Project is a multi-component development plan for Great Nicobar Island in the Bay of Bengal. Its estimated cost ranges from ₹81,000 crore to ₹92,000 crore and includes an international container transhipment terminal at Galathea Bay, a 450 MVA gas and solar-based power plant, a new township, and the airport at Campbell Bay.

Airport Features and Capacity

The airport is planned as a greenfield international airport at Campbell Bay. It is designed for 4,000 peak hour passengers and an initial capacity of 1.35 million passengers per annum by 2040. The project is expected to be completed within five years.

Strategic and Administrative Aspects

The airport project will be funded jointly by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The project is linked to India’s maritime position in the Indian Ocean, the Andaman Sea, and the sea routes near the Malacca Strait.

Environmental and Tribal Provisions

The project involves diversion of about 130.75 sq. km. of forest land and an estimated 964,000 trees. More than half of the area is planned to remain as green cover, and no displacement is proposed for the Shompen and Nicobarese communities.

Important Facts for Exams

• Great Nicobar Island is the southernmost major island of India in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• The Malacca Strait is one of the world’s most important sea lanes for trade and shipping.
• The National Green Tribunal is a specialised judicial body for environmental matters in India.
• NITI Aayog is the policy think tank of the Government of India.