Singh wrote that existing military stations in Andaman and Nicobar islands like INS Kohassa, INS Utkrosh and Air Force Station Car Nicobar are further away from critical sea lanes of communication that are vital to India’s military interest.
Ramesh said the Centre’s claim of building a greenfield airport at Galathea Bay causing less environmental damage than the expansion of the existing naval airbase INS Baaz is “demonstrably incorrect and logically contradictory”. He cited seven reasons on why such an assertion is flawed.
The Congress leader made these points in a letter to Defence Minister Rajnath Singhwho wrote to Ramesh on July 17 about why the GNI project was strategically important.
Singh wrote that existing military stations in Andaman and Nicobar islands like INS Kohassa, INS Utkrosh and Air Force Station Car Nicobar are further away from critical sea lanes of communication that are vital to India’s military interest.
“Repeated characterisation of the project as just a costly commercial venture grossly overlooks the strategic realities of the region,” Rajnath wrote, observing that the site’s proximity to vital sea lanes of communication enhances India’s military strength.
I had written to the Raksha Mantri on May 16, 2026 and June 12, 2026 on the Great Nicobar Island Project. He had replied on July 17, 2026. I have now responded to him.
The debate continues even as the ecological disaster of a project is kept getting bulldozed through with… pic.twitter.com/XuZGFObtCp
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) July 25, 2026
According to Ramesh, such an argument doesn’t hold water because the heart of the GNI project is the trans-shipment port, which is a commercial enterprise.
“Only 10 per cent of the budget for the project appears to be for the (dual use) airport. To say that the entire Great Nicobar Island project has strategic importance is clearly an exaggeration,” the Congress leader said.
“Very senior and distinguished naval officers have been questioning the stated defence reasoning for the GNI project. It is clear that such writings have escaped your attention or have not been brought to your notice,” Ramesh said, appealing to the minister to listen to the concerns raised by these officers.