Centre fast-tracks strategic Great Nicobar airport to boost defence reach in Indian Ocean

Planned as a dual-use facility, the airport will function as both a military airfield and a civilian airport. (File photo)

The Centre has accelerated work on the proposed Great Nicobar International Airport, a key strategic project at India’s southernmost tip that is expected to significantly strengthen defence capabilities while improving connectivity in the Indian Ocean Region, according to documents accessed by CNN-NEWS18.

Planned as a dual-use facility, the airport will function as both a military airfield and a civilian airport. The government has begun the process by inviting consultants for its strategic development, states the CNN-News18 report.

Located near the crucial Six Degree Channel, one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes, the airport is projected to enhance India’s surveillance and response capabilities across the eastern Indian Ocean. It will enable operations by larger military aircraft and sharply reduce response times, particularly as the nearest civilian airport in Port Blair is over 500 km away.

The project documents show the site is surrounded by hills and dense rainforest, with limited hill cutting proposed near the eastern end of the runway to meet obstacle limitation norms.

Under the joint-use model, the Indian Navy will control airside operations and air traffic services, while the Airports Authority of India will manage civilian infrastructure, including passenger terminals and aprons. Civil flight operations will follow protocols used at existing naval air stations.

Beyond defence, the airport is expected to become the main air gateway for Great Nicobar and nearby islands, easing long-standing isolation. Its location also offers tourism potential, with destinations such as Phuket and Langkawi within 500 km, compared with the Indian mainland more than 1,500 km away.

Great Nicobar Island, the largest in the Nicobar group, spans about 910 sq km and curves around Indira Point, India’s southernmost land point. Indonesia’s Sumatra lies roughly 180 km to the south. Much of the island is part of the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve and is home to indigenous Shompen and Nicobarese communities.

The proposed airport site lies along the southern coast between Gandhi Nagar and Shastri Nagar, connected by road to Campbell Bay around 30 km away. Flight paths have been planned largely over the sea to avoid low-altitude overflying of inhabited areas.

As a greenfield project, traffic projections are based on expected economic growth. The island’s population is projected to reach about 3.25 lakh by 2040, generating an annual passenger demand of around 1.35 million. Initial operations will be domestic, with international services added gradually as tourism infrastructure develops.

The master plan extends up to 2075, with phased expansion linked to demand. Military air traffic has been planned separately, reflecting the airport’s strategic role from the early 2030s, with provisions for future runway and taxiway expansion.

According to officials cited in the report, the Great Nicobar International Airport is a strategic gateway that will reinforce India’s maritime security while driving economic activity and connectivity at the country’s southernmost frontier.