INS Baaz expansion shelved as centre approves Galathea Bay airport in Great Nicobar

New Delhi: The government has chosen to move ahead with a new airport at Great Nicobar instead of upgrading the existing runway at the Navy’s INS Baaz station, ending years of discussion over how to improve air connectivity in India’s southernmost island territory.

The proposed airport, planned near Galathea Bay, will serve both civilian and defence requirements and is expected to become one of the largest infrastructure projects in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Officials believe the new location offers greater operational flexibility and room for future expansion than the current naval facility.

The shift follows a series of technical evaluations that examined whether INS Baaz could be converted into a larger dual-use airport. The project includes geographical constraints around the airfield, aviation safety concerns for larger aircraft and the impact that expansion could have on nearby habitations.

Authorities also assessed environmental implications before arriving at the final decision. According to reports, developing a new site was considered a more practical long-term option than modifying the current air station.

The airport project is linked to the wider re-development plans for Great Nicobar, where the Centre intends to establish a combination of transport, energy and maritime infrastructure. Policymakers view the island as strategically important because of its location close to major international shipping routes connecting the Indian Ocean and the Pacific.

The proposed airport is also expected to facilitate military mobility, logistics, operations and surveillance activities across the eastern Indian Ocean region in addition to civilian use.

Better infrastructure in the island chain will enhance India’s ability to respond to both security challenges and humanitarian emergencies.

The decision comes as the wider Great Nicobar development programme is facing increasing political scrutiny. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has questioned the environmental impact of the project, raising issues related to forests, marine ecosystems and indigenous communities living on the island. 

The Centre has rejected such criticisms, maintaining that the project strikes a balance between development needs and environmental safeguards while meeting long-standing connectivity and strategic requirements.

Now that the INS Baaz proposal has been effectively set aside, Galathea Bay will become the focus of India’s aviation plans for Great Nicobar and a key part of the island’s future transformation.