India’s opposition has condemned the proposed ₹81,000 crore / $9 billion Great Nicobar Island megaport project, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi calling it “destruction dressed in development’s language” during his April 29, 2026 visit to the island. He warned that the plan would clear 160 sq km of pristine rainforest, fell millions of trees, and endanger indigenous Shompen and Nicobarese communities, labeling it “one of the biggest scams and gravest crimes against this country’s natural and tribal heritage.” The government, however, maintains the project is of “strategic, defence and national importance” due to its location near the Strait of Malacca, claiming it will boost maritime trade, create over 50,000 jobs, and save $200-220 million annually in transshipment costs, even as activists and locals raise concerns over biodiversity loss, tribal rights, and seismic risks.
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