Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has intensified his opposition to the central government’s ₹70,000-crore Greater Nicobar project, releasing a video of his recent visit to the island. During his visit, which included scuba diving to observe coral reefs and riding a scooter through the rainforests, Gandhi warned that the project would cause irreversible ecological damage, including the loss of over one crore trees.

Gandhi alleged that the mega-project is designed to favor corporate interests, specifically the Adani Group, rather than national security. He questioned the need for a new transshipment port in the ecologically sensitive Nicobar biosphere when a similar port is already being constructed by the Adani Group in Vizhinjam, Kerala. He also raised concerns about plans for luxury resorts, hotels, and casinos within a project touted for defense purposes.

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Addressing the government’s national security arguments, Gandhi suggested strengthening existing military facilities like INS Baaz, which he claimed has been denied expansion funds for five years. He also warned that the project threatens the survival of local indigenous groups, such as the vulnerable Shompen tribe, by exposing them to outside diseases and displacing retired military personnel who own land in the region.