Executive Summary
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI) are grappling with a serious double whammy: tectonic subsidence from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and the slow but steady rise in sea levels due to climate change. While the Andaman group has seen a bit of uplift, the Nicobar Islands are facing permanent sinking, with places like Indira Point dropping by more than four meters. This situation has made them much more vulnerable to coastal flooding and land erosion.
India's strategic military position and relations in the sub-continent stand to be affected by the new Environmental changes, especially with regards to the military deployment of the Andamans and Nicobar Command. Coastal radar networks, Signals of Intelligence (SIGINT) and short take-off and landing (STOL) air-strips stand to be most affected.This is more than just an environmental problem, it has the potential to severely shrink India's strategic military position. Therefore, it is urgent and critical that climate change adaptation and the strengthening of the infrastructure in the Andaman Islands and Nicobar Islands be treated as an issue of national security.
The Problem
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are going through a problem with the earth and the weather. The big earthquake in the Indian Ocean in 2004 made the ground under the Burma Plate tilt. This made some parts of the Andaman Islands go up a little and the Nicobar Islands go down a lot. Now the Nicobar Islands are sinking into the sea. That is a big problem for people who live there. 90 Percent of the coastline of the Nicobar Islands is getting flooded because of this.The oceans are also getting higher, about 3.3 millimeters every year. In places like Indira Point that are already sinking even a little bit of water is a big deal. This is making things bad for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is like a problem that makes things worse and worse.This is very bad for things like surveillance systems and airstrips that need to be on ground. If these things are not working right then India cannot keep an eye on the sea. Be ready for anything that might happen. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are in an important place so this is a big concern for India. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the problems they are having are a worry.
Why It Matters
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are very important for India because of where they're located. They are near the Strait of Malacca which's one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. If India controls this area it can keep an eye on the sea lanes that are used for trading and for energy. This is also important because China is increasing its activity in this region.The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are the base for the Andaman and Nicobar Command. This command brings together the Army, the Navy and the Air Force to make sure the seas are safe and to respond quickly to any problems.. The fact that the islands are sinking is a big threat to India's ability to gather information and keep an eye on things. The radar stations and other systems that are used to gather information need to be at the height and on stable ground. As the coastlines erode and the land sinks these systems do not work properly.
The idea that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are like an aircraft carrier that cannot sink is not true anymore. The airstrips at Port Blair, Campbell Bay and Diglipur are at heights, which makes them very vulnerable to flooding and big waves. If these airstrips cannot be used India will not be able to send out planes like the P-8I to patrol the seas.
The fact that the islands are sinking is not a problem for the military. It also means that India is losing land permanently. This is a concern for national security but also for things like disaster management and India's influence in the region. So it is very important for India to do something about this problem so it can keep its presence and control in the Indo-Pacific region. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands and their strategic importance must be protected.
Evidence / Analysis
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands(ANI) occupy a really important geopolitical position in the indian ocean region, consisting of 836 islands spread across an area of 700 km, situated in the Bay of Bengal. It is the closest point to the important international chokepoint of the Strait of Malacca. The inefficiencies of the land-based connectivity projects, with the unfortunate delay of the India-Myanmar-Thailand(IMT) trilateral highway, have reinforced the objectives of the Act East policy to give importance to maritime connectivity.
Within this Framework, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have emerged as strategic and logistical hubs (with surveillance coverage extending up to 1200 km from the mainland), crucial for the India in monitoring and running surveillance on the incursion into the Indian Ocean Region by China. Historically, within the era of European colonialism and before, the ANI has been an important hub to secure and influence nations near the Malacca Strait. The Joint Andaman and Nicobar Command(ANC) has been the main command responsible for its infrastructural development. Recent Developments indicate how the Government of India has started to prioritize the development of the region as a strategic outpost to help position India as the most preferable security partner in the region.
The Indian Air Force in January inaugurated a resurfaced and upgraded runway at Car Airbase in the southernmost Car Nicobar island, enhancing operational capability. Facilities have been made to house Jets carrying Brahmos Missiles with a 500 km strike range. They house India's only tri-service theatre command that blends the Army, Navy, and Air Force under one singular structure. The National Green Tribunal in February cleared a RS 92,000 Crore mega infrastructure project in Great Nicobar Island despite certain environmental concerns, emphasizing the need for the project for defence and strategic importance.
Recommendations
The Andaman and Nicobar Island chain is one of the most important strategic points for advancing India’s overall maritime strategy in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR), with it providing the ideal location for monitoring and surveilling the important Malacca Strait through which about 96,000 vessels cross annually. India already has a position among the Southeast nations as a reliable and trusted partner; enhancing connectivity would further boost its image. Therefore, this region must be protected and maintained to advance India’s role as a dependable world power. To ensure this, we can adopt certain policy postures.
- First would be to develop strong radar systems that can operate from outside the island region, which would decrease any damage that may occur from rising sea levels and prevent loss of signal. Develop the digital connection technologies and the build sustainable underwater cables that are resistant to damage in the short run.
- Second is to keep the airbases and military installations at high altitude regions, a few meters above the island’s sea level, and place the runways in such areas such as to maintain the base from climate change and natural disasters. This way, the flooding will not be able to affect the transit of the jets and aircraft carriers.
- Another thing that could be encouraged could be the creation of land and islands through Land Reclamation to the protect the important economic zones from being submerged and ensuring it is done legally under international law, obtaining permission from the UNCLOS to confirm validity.
- Develop a Common Union fund in the annual budget to raise and allocate funds for the development of the the island. This way, the government could coordinate the growth of the infrastructure in a coordinated manner, emphasizing planned development and reducing inefficiencies and wastage.
Conclusion
With the growing disjuncture in the global order, it is essential for India that it secures and maintains its sphere of influence; a lot of economic and strategic considerations are at stake. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands provide a strategic advantage to India in influencing the South Asian region, providing a hub for economic engagement as well as an area for intelligence sharing and humanitarian assistance. It is essential that India help the nations of the Malacca Strait in maintaining and protecting freedom of Navigation by upholding the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) amidst growing tension between the United States and China in the Indo-Pacific.Losing operational capabilities due to the loss of land would seriously harm India’s interests in Southeast Asia, hindering it from fulfilling its role as a rising world power. For this purpose, it is of paramount importance that India fills the infrastructure gap by protecting and overseeing the sustainable growth of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
References
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Das, P. (2011). Securing the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Strategic Analysis, 35(3), 465-478. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09700161.2011.559988
Murthy, R. R. (2007). Andaman and Nicobar Islands: a geo-political and strategic perspective. Northern Book Centre. https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=en&lr=&id=wkNh65X88ycC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1& dq=info:26UzKgmjRQUJ:scholar.google.com/&ots=mAM1AlWiY4&sig=KyiA921EK RYB0Gq0L8zxPW-bQvE&redir_esc=y
The Tribune Bureau. (2024, May 2). CDS opens upgraded runway at Car Nicobar. The Tribune. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/cds-opens-upgraded-runway-at-car-nicobar/
Observer Research Foundation. (2026, January 19). The Andaman and Nicobar Islands: A fulcrum of India’s pivot to the East (Issue Brief No. 856). https://www.orfonline.org/research/the-andaman-and-nicobar-islands-a-fulcrum-of-india-s-pi vot-to-the-east
The Hindu Bureau. (2025, April 3). NGT clears Great Nicobar Island mega-infrastructure project. The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/ngt-clears-great-nicobar-is land-mega-infrastructure-project/article70637613.ece