Reports indicate that China has launched a disinformation campaign targeting India’s Great Nicobar Port project, portraying it as environmentally destructive and politically controversial.
Analysts suggest this is part of Beijing’s broader strategy to undermine India’s strategic foothold near the Strait of Malacca, a critical chokepoint for Chinese trade and energy supplies.
The Great Nicobar Island Development Project, approved by the Union Cabinet in 2021 and devised by NITI Aayog, is valued at approximately ₹81,000 crore (around $10 billion). It is designed to transform Great Nicobar into a major commercial and strategic hub.
The centrepiece is a transhipment port at Galathea Bay, built on a naturally deep harbour of 18 to 20 metres. The port is expected to handle 4 million TEUs by 2028 and expand to 16 million TEUs by 2058, rivalling Singapore’s capacity and positioning India as a key maritime player in the Indo-Pacific.
The project also includes an international greenfield airport with a 3,300-metre runway capable of accommodating wide-body aircraft, a 450 MW solar and gas-based power plant, and the expansion of the Andaman and Nicobar tri-service command into a frontline strategic arm.
These dual-use facilities will serve both civilian and military purposes, enhancing India’s ability to project power and secure its maritime interests.
China’s opposition stems from the project’s location. Great Nicobar sits at the mouth of the Six Degree Channel, one of the main routes into and out of the Strait of Malacca. More than 80% of China’s oil imports, valued at about $312 billion annually, and two-thirds of its overall trade pass through this narrow waterway.
The Chinese leadership has long recognised this vulnerability, famously described by former President Hu Jintao in 2003 as the “Malacca Dilemma.” With over 15 million barrels of oil consumed daily, and only 3.7 million transported via overland pipelines, China’s dependence on the strait remains acute.
India’s control of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, stretching over 700 kilometres, effectively places it at the gateway to this chokepoint. Great Nicobar, equidistant from Singapore, Port Klang, and Colombo, is geographically positioned as a natural aircraft carrier. For India, the project is a strategic trump card, offering leverage in any future confrontation with China and reinforcing its role as a rising power in the Indo-Pacific.
Reports suggest that China has sought to derail the project by amplifying environmental concerns and encouraging opposition within India’s political class. Campaigns highlighting ecological risks and questioning the project’s viability have been circulated, aiming to slow down or halt its progress.
However, India has cleared major legal hurdles, with the National Green Tribunal refusing to interfere with environmental clearances earlier this year, allowing the project to advance.
The disinformation campaign reflects Beijing’s anxiety over India’s growing maritime capabilities and its ability to challenge Chinese dominance in the region. By attempting to sow discord and delay construction, China hopes to protect its vulnerable trade lifeline.
Yet, India’s determination to proceed underscores its recognition of the strategic importance of Great Nicobar, not just as an economic hub but as a cornerstone of its security architecture in the Indian Ocean.
IDN (With Agency Inputs)
