Desk Correspondent , New Delhi — Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has written to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, urging the government to expand existing naval infrastructure instead of pursuing the ₹81,000-crore Great Nicobar Island Development Project. In his letter dated May 16, Ramesh labeled the massive project—which includes a transshipment port, airport, township, and power plant—a "recipe for ecological disaster." He argued that the commercial venture is being falsely justified under "overriding security considerations," noting that the project does not enhance India's military capability and faces growing public criticism over its severe environmental impact.

Ramesh proposed utilizing existing military assets like INS Baaz, INS Kardip, and INS Kohassa, which could be expanded at a significantly lower ecological cost. He highlighted that plans to treble the runway at INS Baaz have been awaiting approval for nearly five years despite having far fewer environmental repercussions. This marks Ramesh's third letter to a Cabinet minister in two weeks, following communications to the environment and tribal affairs ministries challenging the project's clearances and its impact on the indigenous Shompen and Nicobarese communities.

The letter also flags severe violations of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006. Ramesh called the government’s claim of tribal consent "wholly false," pointing out that August 2022 gram sabha meetings saw voter turnouts as low as 1.83%, failing the mandated 50% quorum. Furthermore, he noted that a tribal council no-objection certificate was withdrawn in November 2022, and the government’s official FAQs erroneously cited consultations under a policy for the Jarawa tribe, who do not even reside on Great Nicobar Island.