| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Holistic Development of Great Nicobar Island |
| Conceived By | NITI Aayog (2021) |
| Implementing Agency | ANIIDCO — Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation |
| Total Cost | ₹81,000 crore (~US $9.4–10 billion) |
| Area Covered | 166.10 sq km (across 7 revenue villages, 3 Gram Panchayats) |
| Timeline | 3 phases: 2025–2047 |
| Environmental Clearance | November 2022 — MoEF&CC under EIA Notification 2006 + ICRZ Notification 2019 |
| Policy Alignment | India's Maritime Vision 2030 · Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 |
| Component | Location/Spec | Key Number |
|---|---|---|
| International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) | Galathea Bay — natural depth 18–20 m | 14.2 million TEUs capacity |
| Greenfield International Airport | Chingen, southern Great Nicobar | 4,000 PHP (Peak Hour Passengers); dual-use civil + military |
| Gas-cum-Solar Power Plant | Great Nicobar Island | 450 MVA capacity |
| Integrated Township | Coastal development zone | Population projected: 8,000 → 350,000+ (80-fold increase) |
| Term | Full Form / Meaning |
|---|---|
| ANIIDCO | Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation — implementing body |
| ICTT | International Container Transshipment Terminal — deep-sea port at Galathea Bay |
| TEU | Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit — standard container measurement |
| ICRZ | Island Coastal Regulation Zone — special CRZ category for island territories |
| PVTG | Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group — Shompen classified under this |
| PHP | Peak Hour Passengers — airport capacity metric |
| HPC | High-Powered Committee — constituted by NGT to review clearances |
| Galathea Bay | Southern bay of Great Nicobar; proposed port site; also a leatherback turtle nesting ground |
Great Nicobar Island sits at 6°45′N, 93°49′E. Indira Point — India's southernmost tip — is on this island, only ~150 km from Sumatra (Indonesia). It sank 4.25 m during the 2004 tsunami.
UPSC often asks the implementing body — it is ANIIDCO, NOT the Andaman and Nicobar Command or the Port Trust. Project was conceived by NITI Aayog but implemented by ANIIDCO. Don't confuse these two.
| Act / Notification | Relevance to Great Nicobar Project |
|---|---|
| EIA Notification, 2006 | Environmental clearance granted under this — mandatory for projects of this scale; 42 compliance conditions attached |
| ICRZ Notification, 2019 | Island Coastal Regulation Zone — governs coastal construction on island territories; controversy over ICRZ-IA classification of project area |
| Forest Rights Act, 2006 (Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Recognition of Forest Rights Act) | Alleged violation — Shompen and Nicobarese tribal consent and forest rights settlement questioned; Calcutta HC PIL (2026) based on this Act |
| Forest Conservation Act, 1980 | In-principle forest diversion approval (Stage-1) granted Oct 2022 for 130.75 sq km forest land |
| Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 | Galathea National Park and Campbell Bay National Park on island — reduction of eco-sensitive buffer zones challenged |
| Environment Protection Act, 1986 | MoEF&CC exercises oversight powers; NGT derives jurisdiction |
| Article 244 | Scheduled Areas — tribal governance; relevant to Shompen PVTG protections |
| Article 243ZD/PESA | Gram Sabha powers — Nicobarese Tribal Council alleges undermining of Gram Sabha consent procedures |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| MoEF&CC (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change) | Granted Environmental + CRZ clearance (Nov 2022) |
| Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) | Recommended clearance "considering strategic nature" despite scale of ecological impact (Aug 2022) |
| National Green Tribunal (NGT) | First round cleared project; constituted HPC to review deficiencies; Feb 2026 — upheld clearance |
| National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) | Conducted revised ground-truthing for ICRZ classification |
| Calcutta High Court | PILs challenging FRA violations — maintainability upheld (May 2026); next hearing June 23, 2026 |
| Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) | Marine ecological survey — found no dense coral reefs in core construction area |
| NTPC | Invited bids for 5 MW solar project with BESS (April 2025) |
The environmental clearance (Nov 2022) comes with 42 strict compliance conditions covering biodiversity, pollution, marine ecology, and disaster management. This number is frequently asked in Prelims.
The project area is OUTSIDE Galathea National Park — it covers 7 revenue villages falling under 3 Gram Panchayats. UPSC may ask whether the project is inside a National Park — the answer is no, though it is near the park boundary and within the broader biosphere zone.
| Port / Hub | Country | Why India Wants to Compete | Distance from GN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore (PSA) | Singapore | World's #2 container port; handles huge India cargo | ~1,200 km |
| Port Klang / Tanjung Pelepas | Malaysia | Major transshipment hub; Indian cargo routed here | ~1,100 km |
| Colombo Port | Sri Lanka | 60–70% of Indian transshipment goes through Colombo | ~1,640 km |
| Sabang Port | Indonesia | India–Indonesia jointly upgrading; ~612 km from Indira Point | ~612 km |
| Hambantota Port | Sri Lanka | China-operated; strategic concern for India | ~1,700 km |
| Gwadar Port | Pakistan | CPEC anchor; China's IOR foothold | ~3,500 km |
As of 2025, India loses significant transshipment revenue because large cargo ships with draft exceeding 14 m cannot use existing Indian ports. Great Nicobar's Galathea Bay has a natural depth of 18–20 metres — capable of handling the world's largest vessels without dredging.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | 6°45′N, 93°49′E — southernmost of Nicobar Islands; part of Andaman & Nicobar Islands UT |
| Nearest Foreign Land | Sumatra (Indonesia) — ~145–180 km south |
| Indira Point | India's southernmost point; earlier names: Pygmalion Point, Parsons Point; renamed 1985 (after Indira Gandhi's visit Feb 1984) |
| Highest Peak | Mount Thullier — 642 m (highest in Nicobar group) |
| Major Rivers | Galathea, Alexandra, Amrit Kaur, Dogmar — most flow south/southwest |
| Channel separation | Ten Degree Channel separates Andaman Islands from Nicobar Islands (~150 km wide) |
| Seismic Zone | Zone V — highest risk category in India; island sits on major fault line |
| Annual Rainfall | ~3,125 mm/year — highest in A&N Islands |
| Strategic distance | ~40 nautical miles from East–West global shipping route; 150 km from Strait of Malacca approaches |
| Distance from Port Blair | ~533 km (Campbell Bay to Port Blair) |
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| UNESCO Biosphere Reserve | Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve — 103,870 ha total; core area 53,623 ha (Campbell Bay NP + Galathea NP); buffer 34,877 ha |
| National Parks | Campbell Bay National Park + Galathea National Park (both in core biosphere area) |
| Wildlife Sanctuaries | Galathea Bay Wildlife Sanctuary + Megapode Island Wildlife Sanctuary |
| Forest Cover | >85% of island; evergreen tropical rainforest; mangroves, coastal forests |
| Flagship Fauna | Leatherback sea turtle (nests at Galathea Bay), Nicobar Megapode (endemic), Saltwater Crocodile, Nicobar Macaque, Dugong, Giant Robber Crab (Coconut Crab), Reticulated Python |
| Endemic Species | >1,700 endemic fauna species; Lycodon irwini (wolf snake) — described only in 2025; "Great Nicobar Crake" still undescribed (2026) |
| Tribal Communities | Shompen (PVTG — <300 individuals, near-complete isolation) + Nicobarese tribe |
| Trees to be Felled | 18.65 lakh estimated in project area; max 7.11 lakh within 49.86 sq km of forest; 65.99 sq km preserved as green zone |
The forest diversion (130.75 sq km) is nearly 25% of all forest land diverted across India in the 3-year period 2015–18 — making it one of the single largest forest diversions in recent Indian history.
Case: Ashish Kothari v. MoEF&CC · Forum: National Green Tribunal · Year: 2022 · Holding: NGT cleared the project but noted "certain unanswered deficiencies" in the Environmental Clearance; constituted a High-Powered Committee (HPC) to revisit clearance based on observed gaps. Allowed project to proceed pending HPC review.
Case: Ashish Kothari v. MoEF&CC (Second Round) · Forum: National Green Tribunal · Date: February 16, 2026 · Bench: Division Bench · Holding: NGT upheld the 2022 environmental clearance — "adequate safeguards have been provided"; "considering the strategic importance of the Project, no good ground to interfere". Dismissed ICRZ violation allegations after NCSCM's revised ground-truthing reclassified the area. Impact: Project moves forward with regulatory certainty; critics move to Calcutta HC.
Case: Meena Gupta v. Union of India (3 connected PILs) · Forum: Calcutta High Court · Bench: Chief Justice Sujoy Paul + Justice Partha Sarathi Sen · Date: May 2026 · Holding: PILs challenging Forest Rights Act violations are maintainable despite petitioner being Hyderabad resident; tribal communities are "very vulnerable"; PIL jurisdiction is not restricted by rigid locus standi rules when constitutional rights of vulnerable communities are at stake; merely having "great national importance" does not make a project immune from judicial review. Next Hearing: June 23, 2026.
Forum: MoEF&CC Expert Appraisal Committee · Date: August 22–23, 2022 · Holding: Cleared the project "considering the strategic nature of the integrated project" despite noting "the scale of impacts the proposed project may have" on flora, fauna, and native populations. This cleared the way for the November 2022 formal Environmental Clearance — a significant UPSC-relevant precedent for how strategic importance can override standard EIA hesitations.
People's Union for Democratic Rights v. Union of India — PIL jurisprudence: courts must permit genuine public causes concerning vulnerable communities. State of Uttaranchal v. Balwant Singh Chaufal — PIL meant to secure justice for disadvantaged communities unable to access courts themselves. Both cited by Calcutta HC in May 2026 to uphold Meena Gupta PIL maintainability.
UPSC may frame a statement: "The National Green Tribunal has permanently halted the Great Nicobar Project." — This is FALSE. The NGT upheld the clearance in February 2026. Legal challenges continue only at Calcutta HC. Always distinguish between the NGT decision and the HC PILs.
| Safeguard | Detail |
|---|---|
| Compensatory Afforestation | 97.30 sq km; to be done on non-notified forest land in Haryana (since A&N already has >75% forest cover) |
| Green Zone Preservation | 65.99 sq km of diverted land preserved with no tree felling; 15% of development area as green/open spaces |
| Coral Relocation | Scattered coral colonies near construction zone to be mapped, transplanted, and monitored (ZSI survey found no dense reef in core construction area) |
| Disaster Management | Comprehensive plan covering tsunamis, earthquakes, industrial risks — mandatory given Seismic Zone V classification |
| Tribal Welfare | No displacement planned; existing settlements (New Chingen, Rajiv Nagar) untouched; independent committee for tribal oversight |
| Renewable Energy | Hybrid gas + solar power model; NTPC-led 5 MW solar + BESS (Apr 2025 bids) |
| Marine Monitoring | Shoreline protection, beach protection for turtle nesting sites, long-term marine species monitoring |
| Forest Diversion Limit | 1.82% of total A&N island forest cover — government's framing; critics note it is 15% of Great Nicobar's own forest cover |
| Strategic Feature | Significance |
|---|---|
| Dual-use Airport at Chingen | Civil + Military; enhances Indian Air Force and Navy reach in eastern Indian Ocean |
| Proximity to Strait of Malacca | 80%+ of China's oil imports pass through; India gains capability to monitor and influence this choke-point |
| "Natural Aircraft Carrier" | Andaman & Nicobar archipelago described thus by military planners; Great Nicobar operationalises this |
| IOR Surveillance | India's eastern maritime boundary; anti-piracy, submarine tracking, maritime domain awareness |
| Quad Alignment | Project complements India's participation in Quad (Indo-Pacific supply chain resilience) |
| Deep-sea Mining | 7 deep-sea mining blocks off coast awarded (2025); Offshore Areas Mineral Trust established |
India's Phase 1 of the ICTT targets a capacity of 4 million TEUs by 2028; ultimate capacity is 14.2 million TEUs. For comparison, Singapore handles ~38 million TEUs annually — giving a sense of the project's ambition.
| Concept | Link / Relevance |
|---|---|
| Strait of Malacca | ~25% of global trade; 80%+ of China's oil imports pass through; GN project positions India at northern approach |
| String of Pearls | China's network of ports (Gwadar, Hambantota, Chittagong) in IOR; GN project is India's counter-strategy |
| Necklace of Diamonds | India's own IOR port strategy (Sabang, Chabahar, Sittwe, etc.); GN adds to this |
| Leatherback Turtle | Critically endangered; nests at Galathea Bay — the very site of the ICTT; Schedule I species under WPA 1972 |
| Shompen Tribe | PVTG; < 300 individuals; live in near-complete isolation; classified under Forest Rights Act protections; existence threatened by 80× population surge |
| Seismic Zone V | Highest risk; 2004 tsunami epicentre ~80 miles away; island sank 15 feet; July 2025 geologist warning about volcanic risk in Andaman Sea |
| UNESCO Biosphere Reserve | Designated 2013; Man and Biosphere Programme; core includes both national parks; project is in non-Biosphere area but adjacent |
| Quad (QUAD) | Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (India, USA, Japan, Australia); maritime security + supply chain; GN project aligns with Quad's Indo-Pacific maritime vision |
| Maritime Vision 2030 | India's blueprint for maritime infrastructure; GN project is a flagship under this vision |
| Forest Rights Act 2006 | Shompen consent challenges; Gram Sabha powers vs High-Powered Committee model — active Calcutta HC litigation (2026) |
| Geography Topic | Connection to Great Nicobar |
|---|---|
| Ten Degree Channel | Separates Andaman from Nicobar Islands; Great Nicobar is southernmost of Nicobar group |
| Duncan Passage | Between South Andaman and Little Andaman; different from Ten Degree Channel — UPSC frequently tests these |
| Andaman Sea | East of A&N Islands; separated from Bay of Bengal; Great Nicobar sits at junction |
| Indo-Australian Plate | Collision with Eurasian plate created A&N island arc — explains seismicity; same arc as Arakan Yoma (Myanmar) and Sumatran islands |
| Coral Reefs | Lakshadweep = Atoll type; A&N = Fringing reefs — frequently confused; scattered corals near GN project site |
| Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) | A&N Islands extend India's EEZ significantly in Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea; strategic maritime jurisdiction |
As of 2025, more than 80% of China's oil imports — valued at ~USD 312 billion/year — pass through the Strait of Malacca. Annual global trade through this corridor: ~USD 3.5 trillion (two-thirds of all Chinese maritime trade). Malacca is only 2.8 km wide at its narrowest point.
NGT upholds Great Nicobar environmental clearance (Feb 16, 2026): The NGT pronounced its final order on February 16, 2026, after a High-Powered Committee (HPC) reviewed the deficiencies noted in the 2022 clearance. The Tribunal found that "adequate safeguards have been provided" and saw "no good ground to interfere with the project's environmental clearance, considering the strategic importance of the Project." This ended the second round of NGT litigation and allowed the project to proceed with regulatory certainty. Legal challenges, however, continue in the Calcutta High Court. Sources: Mongabay India, LiveLaw — February 2026
Calcutta HC upholds PIL maintainability on FRA violations (May 2026): A Division Bench (Chief Justice Sujoy Paul + Justice Partha Sarathi Sen) held that three PILs filed by retired IAS officer Meena Gupta — former Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs — challenging alleged violations of the Forest Rights Act 2006 and reduction of eco-sensitive buffer zones around Galathea NP and Campbell Bay NP, are maintainable. Court stated there can be "no thumb rule" on locus standi; tribal communities are "very vulnerable." The Centre's objection that the petitioner was a Hyderabad resident was rejected. Court also ruled that a project of great national importance is NOT immune from judicial review. Next hearing: June 23, 2026. Sources: LiveLaw, India Legal — May 2026
Nicobarese Tribal Council alleges false consent certification (2025–26): The Nicobarese Tribal Council alleged that the administration falsely certified community consent for the project. Critics argue the High-Powered Committee governance model imposed on tribal affairs effectively undermines democratic Gram Sabha powers guaranteed under Forest Rights Act and PESA. The island's population (~8,000) is projected to increase 80-fold to 350,000+, threatening to erase indigenous cultural fabric. Government maintains tribal settlement areas (New Chingen, Rajiv Nagar) are untouched. Sources: Indian Masterminds, India Sentinels — 2025–26
NTPC solar bids + 7 deep-sea mining blocks (April 2025): NTPC invited bids for a 5 MW solar project with battery energy storage (4–12 MWh BESS) on Great Nicobar in April 2025. Separately, 7 deep-sea mining blocks off the coast of Great Nicobar Island were awarded. The Offshore Areas Mineral Trust — a non-profit autonomous body — was established to fund research and mitigate ecological impacts of offshore mining. Source: Wikipedia (Great Nicobar Island Development Project) — April 2025
Geologist warns of volcanic eruption risk (July 2025): A geologist publicly warned in July 2025 that an ongoing cluster of smaller earthquakes near the Nicobar Islands could signal a volcanic eruption in the Andaman Sea, raising fears of another catastrophic tsunami. The 2004 event (epicentre ~80 miles away) caused the island's southern tip to sink by ~15 feet. Building permanent infrastructure — a military airport, a township for hundreds of thousands — in Seismic Zone V remains a major criticism of the project. Sources: India Sentinels, Wikipedia — July 2025
New wolf snake species described (2025) + undescribed bird (2026): Lycodon irwini — a new wolf snake species — was formally described from Great Nicobar Island in 2025, highlighting ongoing biodiversity discovery in the project zone. The "Great Nicobar Crake" remains an undescribed bird species as of 2026. Both cases underscore critics' argument that building infrastructure on this island before its biodiversity is fully catalogued is irreversible. Source: Wikipedia (Great Nicobar Island Development Project) — 2025/2026
UPSC 2023–24 tested Galathea Bay location and Nicobar biodiversity. Expect 2026–27 prelims to specifically target: NGT Feb 2026 upholding the clearance (not staying it), ANIIDCO as implementing body, Shompen as PVTG, Seismic Zone V, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve 2013, and the 42 compliance conditions. Current affairs hook = NGT verdict + Calcutta HC PIL maintainability + tribal consent controversy.
| Statement | T/F | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Great Nicobar Island is India's southernmost island in the Andaman group. | ❌ | It is in the Nicobar group, not the Andaman group. Separated from Andamans by the Ten Degree Channel. |
| The Great Nicobar Project was conceived by the Ministry of Shipping. | ❌ | Conceived by NITI Aayog; implemented by ANIIDCO. |
| Indira Point is on Great Nicobar Island and is India's southernmost tip. | ✅ | Correct. At 6°45′N, 93°49′E; formerly called Pygmalion Point / Parsons Point; renamed 1985. |
| The NGT permanently stayed the environmental clearance for the Great Nicobar Project in 2026. | ❌ | NGT upheld the clearance on February 16, 2026. It did NOT stay or cancel the project. |
| Galathea NP and Campbell Bay NP are both on Great Nicobar Island. | ✅ | Both form the 53,623 ha core of the UNESCO Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve. |
| The project involves diversion of 130.75 sq km of forest — about 1.82% of A&N Islands total forest cover. | ✅ | Government's framing; critics note it is ~15% of Great Nicobar's own forest cover. |
| The Shompen are a PVTG numbering fewer than 300 individuals. | ✅ | Correct — they live in near-complete isolation within the project impact area on Great Nicobar. |
| The Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve was designated by UNESCO in 2013. | ✅ | Added to UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves (Man and Biosphere Programme) in 2013. |
| Compensatory afforestation for the project will be done within the A&N Islands. | ❌ | Compensatory afforestation is to be done on non-notified forest land in Haryana — A&N already has >75% forest cover. |
| Mount Thullier is the highest peak in both the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. | ❌ | Mount Thullier (642 m) is highest in Nicobars only. Highest in all A&N = Saddle Peak (732 m) in North Andaman. |
UPSC consistently exploits this distinction. Great Nicobar is the southernmost and largest of the Nicobar Islands. Andamans are to the north, separated by Ten Degree Channel. Saddle Peak (732 m) = highest in Andamans ≠ Mount Thullier (642 m) = highest in Nicobars.
The project area (166.10 sq km) is outside Galathea NP and Campbell Bay NP — it covers 7 revenue villages. However, it borders the biosphere. Reduction of eco-sensitive buffer zones around these parks IS challenged in Calcutta HC (2026).
NITI Aayog = conceived/planned the project. ANIIDCO = implementing agency. MoEF&CC = granted environmental clearance. NGT = judicial oversight. UPSC may mix any two — read options carefully.
Government says: 1.82% of total A&N island forest cover. Critics say: ~15% of Great Nicobar's own forest cover. UPSC may present both. Know both numbers and the basis of each claim.
Leatherback sea turtles nest at Galathea Bay — the exact location of the proposed ICTT port. This pin is UPSC-favourite. Do NOT confuse with Olive Ridley turtle nesting at Odisha's Gahirmatha coast.
Great Nicobar appears as: (1) paired statements on implementing/conceiving body, (2) geography statements on channels/peaks/coordinates, (3) biodiversity statements on endemic species/turtle types, (4) legal framework — which Act governs which clearance, and (5) current affairs — NGT/HC decisions. Practice all five angle-types.
| Event / Case | Date | Body | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNESCO Biosphere designation | 2013 | UNESCO Man & Biosphere | Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve (103,870 ha) recognised internationally |
| Cabinet approval of project | 2021 | Union Cabinet / NITI Aayog | Project approved; ANIIDCO designated implementing body |
| EAC recommendation | Aug 22–23, 2022 | MoEF&CC EAC | Cleared — "strategic nature" cited despite ecological concerns |
| Forest diversion Stage-1 approval | Oct 27, 2022 | MoEF&CC | 130.75 sq km forest diversion in-principle approved |
| Environmental + CRZ Clearance | Nov 2022 | MoEF&CC | Formal EC granted with 42 conditions; Ashish Kothari challenges at NGT |
| NGT Round 1 — Kothari v. MoEF&CC | 2022 | National Green Tribunal | Project cleared; HPC constituted to review deficiencies |
| ICTT bids opened | Jan 2023 | ANIIDCO | 10 companies bid for ₹41,000 crore port; Phase 1 target 4 M TEU by 2028 |
| NTPC solar bids + 7 deep-sea mining blocks | Apr 2025 | NTPC / Govt of India | 5 MW solar + BESS; deep-sea mining blocks awarded; Offshore Areas Mineral Trust set up |
| Seismic-volcanic warning | Jul 2025 | Geologist (public warning) | Cluster of quakes near Nicobars may signal volcanic eruption in Andaman Sea |
| NGT Final Order — Round 2 | Feb 16, 2026 | National Green Tribunal | Upheld EC — "adequate safeguards"; "no good ground to interfere"; project proceeds |
| Calcutta HC — Meena Gupta PIL | May 2026 | Calcutta HC (CJ Sujoy Paul + J. Partha Sarathi Sen) | PILs on FRA violations maintainable; tribals "very vulnerable"; next hearing June 23, 2026 |
| Number | What It Represents |
|---|---|
| ₹81,000 crore | Total project cost (2025 revised estimate) |
| 166.10 sq km | Total project area (across 7 revenue villages, 3 Gram Panchayats) |
| 130.75 sq km | Forest land diverted — Stage-1 approval (Oct 2022) |
| 42 | Compliance conditions attached to Environmental Clearance (Nov 2022) |
| 14.2 M TEUs | ICTT ultimate port capacity |
| 4 M TEUs | ICTT Phase 1 capacity (target: 2028) |
| 450 MVA | Power plant capacity (gas + solar hybrid) |
| 4,000 PHP | Airport capacity (Peak Hour Passengers) |
| 921 sq km | Total area of Great Nicobar Island |
| 642 m | Mount Thullier — highest in Nicobar Islands |
| 732 m | Saddle Peak — highest in all Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Andaman group) |
| 103,870 ha | Total area of UNESCO Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve |
| Less than 300 | Shompen PVTG population |
| 8,067 → 350,000+ | Island population before and after project (80-fold increase) |
| 18–20 m | Natural depth of Galathea Bay (handles world's largest vessels) |
| 40 nautical miles | Distance from East–West global shipping lane |
| 2.8 km | Narrowest width of Strait of Malacca |
| 7.11 lakh | Maximum trees to be felled (within 49.86 sq km) |
| 97.30 sq km | Compensatory afforestation area (in Haryana) |
| 2013 | Year of UNESCO Biosphere Reserve designation |
| ~3,125 mm/year | Annual rainfall on Great Nicobar — highest in A&N Islands |