Bengaluru, May 3 (IANS). Lieutenant General (Retd) CA. Krishnan had a special conversation with IANS on Sunday about the ‘Great Nicobar Project’. Describing it as a very important project for India’s strategic future, he said that it will provide the country a strong presence in the maritime sector.
Lieutenant General (Retd) CA. Speaking to IANS, Krishnan said, “This project holds immense strategic importance for India. To understand its importance, we also have to understand the role of the Strait of Malacca. This strait connects the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea, making it a vital route for global maritime trade, from China to South Asia, the Middle East, Europe and even the US. It is one of the world’s most important maritime choke points, connecting Singapore, Malaysia and And passes through the waters of Indonesia. India’s Great Nicobar Island is located on the western side of this route, just opposite the Indonesian port of Sabang, meaning that a large portion of global trade passes very close to these shores, highlighting the island’s strategic importance.”
Talking about the importance of the Great Nicobar Project, he said, “It is a package of strategic benefits that we have been blessed with. It has been with us for decades, but it is largely underutilized. It is located on the northern edge of one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. The entire Bay of Bengal area lies between the east coast of India and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, making this area extremely important in terms of maritime surveillance and influence. Great Nicobar is our sovereign It is important to have a strong hold on the area, without this, our ability to monitor activities in these maritime waters will be limited.”
He said, “About 75 per cent of India’s transshipment currently goes through Colombo and Singapore. If this project develops as planned, a large part of it can be handled within the country, and it will also attract global shipping traffic. This project offers strategic, economic and military benefits. By 2047, when India aims to become a developed nation, we should have enough strategic influence, be it militarily or economically. This is not about aggression. “It is not about having a capability and capacity that will compliment our influence. This project will provide a strong naval base and a greenfield airbase, which will further strengthen India’s maritime presence. Its combined strategic, economic and defense benefits will help India establish its rightful influence in the region.”
He further said, “In a hypothetical situation, if something happens in the Strait of Malacca, it would be disastrous for the world, as alternative routes like the Sunda Strait or the Lombok Strait are not at par in terms of capacity and would cause delays of several days as well as logistical hurdles. However, such a situation is unlikely in the near future, as there is no military or ideological rivalry between countries in the region such as Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.” The only unexpected risk could arise from broader global tensions, but overall, the situation in the Malacca region remains relatively stable compared to other strategic choke points such as the Strait of Hormuz.”
He said, “Earlier there was criticism over India’s response to incidents in the region, but many of those incidents did not even fall within India’s exclusive economic zone. Now, our focus should be on strengthening our own strategic infrastructure, such as Great Nicobar. Great Nicobar is very close to some of the key points of the region, about 180–190 km from Sumatra, about 500 km from Phuket, 700 km from Penang, and 700 km from Singapore.” Located at a distance of about 1,250 km, it is about 1,600 km from Chennai and 2,000 km from Kolkata. This clearly shows the huge strategic advantage India enjoys by having sovereign ownership of such an island.”
Expressing hope that India will emerge as a major global power by 2047, he said, “This project further strengthens its direction and significantly improves India’s ability to monitor maritime activities. Today, ships, including submarines and survey vessels, can enter the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean through the Strait of Malacca, and our monitoring of them is limited. With this infrastructure, India will be able to monitor such activities. Although we will operate entirely within the legal framework, our surveillance capabilities will be significantly improved. From this perspective, any major power will not like increased surveillance capabilities in the region, and it should not be surprising if efforts are made to avert it or influence it in different ways.”
Describing the Great Nicobar Project as important, Krishnan said, “The Great Nicobar Project has to come; it is of utmost importance. In my opinion, it could be one of the most strategically important projects in the post-independence history of India. Therefore, the better way for people concerned about the environment is not to oppose the project, but to ensure that all the conditions laid down in the environment clearance are strictly adhered to. The focus should be on supporting the government and its implementing agencies.” So that every safety measure can be properly implemented and the impact on the environment at the ground level is minimal.”
Regarding the opposition to the ‘Great Nicobar Project’, he said, “We should be alert at all times and check whether any activity is being influenced by external funding or instructions, be it through activists, NGOs or political entities. This vigilance should be applied to all national projects, especially those projects that have such high strategic importance. At the same time, this concern is more widespread and is not limited to this project alone. Great Nicobar has a small population of indigenous people, including ‘Shompen’ and ‘Nicobari’ tribes, as well as people who have migrated from the mainland. Only certain inhabited areas fall within the project area, and protecting these communities is a part of the project conditions and planning framework.”
–IANS
SCH/ABM
