Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is planning to invest $9 billion (€ 8.38 billion) to transform India‘s Great Nicobar island into a massive military and trade hub. But the plans have raised concerns among environmentalists, scientists and civic organizations who believe the megaproject will ruin the unique ecology of the remote region.
Beyond ecological concerns, many fear the impact on indigenous communities — especially the Shompen people, a hunter-gatherer community who have lived on Great Nicobar for thousands of years with very little outside contact.
Indian officials say plans to develop Great Nicobar have been fueled by China‘s growing assertiveness in the Indian Ocean, noting that the island’s strategic position makes it vital for security and trade.
The island is located some 1,800 kilometers (1,120 miles) east of India’s mainland, close to Indonesia‘s Sumatra and only hundreds of kilometers away from Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia. It currently has around 8,000 residents.