Bhupender Yadav Counters Sonia Gandhi's Nicobar Project Criticism, Gets Thumbs-Up From PMO

Last Updated:September 12, 2025, 17:41 IST

Yadav penned an op-ed in The Hindu on Friday, where he defended the central government’s decision to develop the Great Nicobar Island

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi. (PTI file photos)

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Friday countered Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s criticism of the Great Nicobar Island Project, calling it a matter of strategic and national importance.

Yadav penned an op-ed in The Hindu on Friday, titled “A project of a strategic and national importance," where he defended the central government’s decision to develop the Great Nicobar Island. He highlighted the project’s role in enhancing India’s maritime and air connectivity in the Indian Ocean Region.

Sharing his article on X, Yadav wrote, “The Great Nicobar Island Project is of strategic, defence, and national importance, designed to transform the island into a major hub for maritime and air connectivity in the Indian Ocean Region. The decision to develop Great Nicobar Island has been taken after due consideration of its ecological, social and strategic aspects."

He also emphasised the government’s commitment to balancing economic growth with environmental protection, adding, “The govt led by PM Shri @narendramodi ji remains committed to promoting economy and ecology together."

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) endorsed Yadav’s stance by retweeting his post, writing, “Union Minister Shri @byadavbjp explains that the Great Nicobar Island Project, which is of strategic, defence and national importance, transforms the region into a major hub of maritime and air connectivity in the Indian Ocean Region. He highlights it as a prime example of economy and ecology complementing each other."

Sonia Gandhi had earlier criticised the project in an op-ed published in The Hindu on September 10. She described the infrastructure plan as a “planned misadventure" that threatens the survival of the island’s indigenous tribal communities, specifically the Shompen and Nicobarese tribes.

Gandhi warned that the project was being pushed through insensitively, bypassing legal and deliberative processes. She called it an “existential danger" and urged the nation not to stay silent when such unique ecosystems and communities face destruction.

“Our commitment to future generations cannot permit this large-scale destruction of a most unique ecosystem. We must raise our voice against this travesty of justice and this betrayal of our national values," Sonia Gandhi wrote in her article titled “The making of an ecological disaster in the Nicobar."

(With inputs from PTI)

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News politics Bhupender Yadav Counters Sonia Gandhi's Nicobar Project Criticism, Gets Thumbs-Up From PMO

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