Is the Great Nicobar Island India’s Hormuz-like chokepoint against China?
The Great Nicobar Island is at the center of a controversial $11 billion development project by the Indian government. This initiative aims to transform the island into a strategic and economic outpost in the Indian Ocean, drawing parallels to the importance of the Strait of Hormuz. Critics raise concerns about environmental impacts and the implications of increased military presence in the region.
- ▪The Indian government plans to build a transhipment port, airport, power plant, and township on Great Nicobar Island.
- ▪The island's strategic location near the Strait of Malacca makes it significant for monitoring maritime traffic.
- ▪The project has faced criticism from environmental groups and opposition leaders, prompting the government to emphasize its strategic importance.
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Features|Indigenous RightsIs the Great Nicobar Island India’s Hormuz-like chokepoint against China?Far away from the mainland, the Indian government is pumping billions of dollars into a controversial development project that could spell the end of Great Nicobar Island.ListenListen (10 mins)SaveClick here to share on social mediashare-nodesSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoConstruction workers operate a smoke-spewing tarmac mixer to build a road cutting through forest land, as part of the Great Nicobar Island Project, a government-backed mega-development undertaking on the outskirts of Campbell Bay on Great Nicobar Island, March 26, 2026 [R Satish Babu/AFP]By Yashraj SharmaPublished On 3 Jun 20263 Jun 2026New Delhi, India — The southernmost point of…
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