In a masterstroke, India is set to invest ₹10,000 crore for building a transshipment port at Great Nicobar Island in the Bay of Bengal, the Economic Times reported.
If this port is built, it will provide shippers with an alternative to similar ports in the region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday (July 10).
The announcement was made by Prime Minister Modi when he inaugurated the first undersea optical fibre project to provide high-speed internet to Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Modi said the long due 2,312-kilometre-long submarine optical fibre cable from Chennai to Andaman and Nicobar Islands will provide better internet experience for the islanders.
He emphasised on the importance of boosting 4G mobile services and digital services like tele-education, telehealth, e-governance services and tourism on the Islands.
During his speech, held through video link, PM Modi said, “There is a proposal to build a transshipment port at Great Nicobar at an estimated expenditure of about Rs 10,000 crore. Large ships can dock once this port is ready”.
The dedicated container transshipment terminal will give India a strategic advantage with the Indo-Pacific region gaining significance due to China’s presence.
India can an keep an eye on the busy east-west international shipping route while facilitating shorter transits and greater economies of scale. Deep natural water ports enable big ships to anchor and raise India’s profile in maritime trade as well as create new job opportunities.
When this port is developed, it will provide Indian shippers with an alternative to Colombo, Singapore and Port Klang (Malaysia) transshipment ports.
The Wuhan virus has changed the global outlook on China and the need to end its death grip over the global supply and value chain.
To ensure rapid development, legal and bureaucratic bottlenecks in the development of port infrastructure are also being removed continuously.
The in-principal approval has been given for building a deep draft greenfield seaport on the west coast and work starting on a deep draft inner harbour on the east coast.
Modi said, “From Chennai to Port Blair, Port Blair to Little Andaman and Port Blair to Swaraj Dweep (Havelock), this service has started in large part of Andaman Nicobar from today”.
India is also working on physical connectivity through road, air, and water. Two big bridges and widening of National Highway No.4 are being undertaken to improve road connectivity between North and Middle Andaman.
Port Blair Airport is being developed to handle a capacity of 1,200 passengers. Seaplane services will start once water aerodrome infrastructure including passenger terminal and floating jetty is ready at Swaraj Dweep, Shaheed Dweep, and Long Island.
Under the present regime, a lot of importance has been given to developing long-ignored infrastructure projects key to development of the economy and also national security. PM Modi stressed on the self-sufficiency and for India to become an important player in the global supply and value chain by strengthening our network of waterways and our ports.