Centre prepares plan for construction of dual-use green field airport at Great Nicobar

New Delhi: The central government has drawn up an ambitious plan to develop a dual-use greenfield international airport at Great Nicobar, aimed at strengthening national security while also boosting tourism and regional connectivity.

According to the Detailed Project Report (DPR), the proposed airport will function as a dual-use military and civil facility. The Indian Navy will have control over the airside operations and Air Traffic Control, while the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will manage the civil apron, passenger terminals and related facilities.

Great Nicobar is the southernmost and largest island in the Nicobar group. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ main city, Port Blair, is located more than 500 km away, while international destinations such as Phuket and parts of Sumatra lie within a 500-km radius of the proposed airport.

The DPR notes that beyond strategic requirements, the airport will significantly improve connectivity and open up major opportunities for tourism-led development, helping position the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on the global tourism map. The Indian mainland is at least 1,500 km from Great Nicobar, with Delhi around 3,000 km away. Kolkata and Mumbai are approximately 1,850 km and 2,250 km distant, respectively. Several international destinations, including Singapore, Vietnam and Bali, fall within a 1,000–1,500 km range of the proposed facility.

Geographically, Great Nicobar extends from Ranganatha Bay on the east coast to Galathea Bay in the south, and around Indira Point—the southernmost tip of India—to Pemayya Bay. Indonesia’s Sumatra island lies just 180 km south of Indira Point. The island spans about 910 sq km, with a large portion designated as the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve.

The proposed airport site is located along the coast between Gandhi Nagar and Shastri Nagar on the southern side of the island and is accessible via a road connecting Galathea Bay to Campbell Bay, about 30 km away. Surrounded by hills, the site will require grading to ensure safe aircraft operations. The DPR states that flight paths will largely pass over the sea, minimising disturbance from low-flying aircraft. The runway is planned in a north–south orientation, aligned with prevailing wind conditions.

The island is home to indigenous Shompen and Nicobarese tribes. The DPR also refers to the broader Great Nicobar Development Plan, a large-scale infrastructure initiative that includes a transhipment port, the airport and enhanced strategic defence infrastructure. Under this plan, the island’s population is

projected to rise to about 6,50,000 by 2050, from the current estimated 6,500.