By News18,Yimkumla Longkumer

Copyright news18

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.”

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… pic.twitter.com/EiO3ZbxcS1
— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) September 12, 2025

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.”