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GS Paper: GS3-13.Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc:

  • What caused the great Indian Airport jam?

    airport

    As more passengers take to the skies, airports in India’s top cities—Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru—are witnessing heavy traffic.

    What is causing congestion at airports?

    • There are lengthy queues at airport entry, check-in counters, security, and immigration.
    • There is crowding at baggage claim areas too.
    • This is the result of an unexpected surge in demand for air travel because of the holiday season—the last two years saw muted demand during this period because of the pandemic.
    • Air traffic has been 1-7% above pre-covid levels of 4 lakh daily flyers for the past 10 days.
    • Consequently, the personnel strength of CISF at check-in, the number of X-Ray machines and automatic trays for security, as well as baggage belts, have fallen short in handling the demand.

    Which airports are most affected?

    • The congestion is more severe at airports with maximum connectivity such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.
    • The worst-hit is Delhi—the busiest airport in India and 10th busiest in the world.
    • Delhi handles the largest share of international as well as domestic air traffic in the country with a 27% share in international segment for the country and 20% in overall air traffic in India.
    • The airport, with three terminals, has a capacity to handle around 70 million passengers per annum.
    • Over the last 10 days, the airport has handled over 190,000 passengers daily, which is close to its full capacity.

    Is airport congestion an India-specific problem?

    • Globally, air travel continues to face disruptions.
    • Europe’s busiest airport, London Heathrow, needs to hire around 25,000 staff to manage peak hours.
    • Schiphol in Amsterdam has imposed a 20% cap on capacity to manage traffic.
    • The aviation industry laid off thousands of people during the pandemic, and expects staff strength to realign by mid-2023.

    What is being done to decongest airports?

    • The aviation ministry has recommended a reduction in the number of flights and more manpower at all check-in and baggage drop counters.
    • It has sought for increasing the number of X-ray machines and baggage trays for security check.
    • The government will also analyse manpower requirements at immigration counters and, if required, additional personnel will be deployed.
    • IndiGo, the largest airline in India, has asked fliers to report 3.5 hours early for domestic flights from Delhi.

    Easing the airport congestion  

    • There is no immediate solution, and the government’s action plan will only bring temporary relief. Increasing the number of personnel at entry, security, and immigration will take time.
    • Higher usage of the contactless travel platform—Digi Yatra—for passengers without check-in luggage is expected to ease the congestion a bit.
    • Cities like Delhi and Mumbai need additional infrastructure.
    • However, the Jewar airport in Noida and the Navi Mumbai airport are expected to be operational only by 2024.

     

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  • Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022 introduced in RS

    The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has introduced the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill in Rajya Sabha.

    Highlights of the Bill

    • The Bill amends the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 to empower the central government to specify a carbon credit trading scheme.
    • Designated consumers may be required to meet a proportion of their energy needs from non-fossil sources.

    Why was this Bill introduced?

    • During the COP-26 summit in 2021, India made commitments relevant for energy efficiency efforts.
    • Against this backdrop, the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022 was introduced in Lok Sabha in August 2022.

    Key features of the bill

    • Carbon credit trading:The Bill empowers the central government to specify a carbon credit trading scheme.   Carbon credit implies a tradable permit to produce a specified amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse emissions.
    • Obligation to use non-fossil sources of energy:The Act empowers the central government to specify energy consumption standards for designated consumers to meet a minimum share of energy consumption from non-fossil sources.  Designated consumers include: (i) industries such as mining, steel, cement, textile, chemicals, and petrochemicals, (ii) transport sector including Railways, and (iii) commercial buildings, as specified in the schedule.
    • Energy conservation code for buildings: The bill empowers the central government to specify norms for energy efficiency and conservation, use of renewable energy, and other requirements for green buildings.   Under the Act, the energy conservation code applies to commercial buildings: (i) erected after the notification of the Code, and (ii) having a minimum connected load of 100 kilowatt (kW) or contract load of 120 kilo volt ampere (kVA).
    • Standards for vehicles and vessels: Under the bill, the energy consumption standards may be specified for equipment and appliances which consume, generate, transmit, or supply energy.  The Bill expands the scope to include vehicles (as defined under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988), and vessels (includes ships and boats).
    • Composition of the governing council of BEE: The Act provides for the setting up of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).  The Bureau has a governing council with members between 20 and 26 in number.

    Concerns raised

    • Carbon credit trading aims to reduce carbon emissions, and hence, address climate change.  The question is whether the Ministry of Power is the appropriate Ministry to regulate this scheme.
    • A further question is whether the market regulator for carbon credit trading should be specified in the Act.
    • Same activity may be eligible for renewable energy, energy savings, and carbon credit certificates.
    • The Bill does not specify whether these certificates will be interchangeable.
    • Designated consumers must meet certain non-fossil energy use obligation.  Given the limited competition among discoms in any area, consumers may not have a choice in the energy mix.

     

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  • Need for an effective Tourist Police

    Tourist

    Context

    • Crimes against tourists and other foreign nationals appear to be on the rise in India. Consider several recent cases, and the lessons they suggest.

    Some of the recent cases of crime against tourists

    • A case of rape and murder in Kerala: A few days ago, a Kerala session court sentenced two men to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a Latvian tourist in 2018.
    • A case of a rape of a girl child in Goa: A 12-year-old Russian girl was raped in a hotel in Goa on April 6 this year. The rapist was an employee of the hotel in which the girl was staying with her mother.
    • A case extortion in Gurugram: An Iraqi couple staying at a hotel in Gurugram for the treatment of the husband in the Medanta hospital was accosted by two miscreants posing as policemen on October 23. They accused the couple of carrying drugs and on the pretext of checking their wallets, fled with $15,000 the couple had saved for the treatment.
    • A case of sexual misconduct in Delhi: On September 2, a British woman lawyer lodged a complaint of sexual misconduct against a cab driver who was ferrying her from the airport to her hotel in South Delhi. The incident traumatized her to the extent that she left for the U.K. within two days of her arrival.

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    Status of Crimes against foreigners

    • Drastic decline in cases of crimes against foreigners in Delhi: According to data of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Delhi recorded 27 cases of crime against foreigners last year, a drastic decline from 62 cases reported in 2020 and 123 in 2019.
    • Sharp reduction Rajasthan: Rajasthan has shown a sharp reduction in registration of crimes from 16 in 2019 to just 4 in 2020 and two cases last year, which could be attributed to the sharp decline in tourist arrivals due to COVID-19.
    • Though there is a decline in cases but the data is still shameful and to be studied: As many as 29 foreigners were murdered in the last three years. While 14 foreigners fell victim to rape last year, 16 were raped in 2020 and 12 in 2019. As many as 15 cases of assault to outraging modesty of foreign women were registered last year across the country, apart from 14 complaints of cheating. While 142 cases of theft were lodged by foreigners in 2019, it declined to 52 in 2020 and further dipped to 23 in 2021.
    • Women are more prone and most cases go unreported: Women are more prone to sexual attacks by criminals on the prowl in tourist destinations. For every crime committed against foreigners, there would be several others that go unreported for multifarious reasons, with one of them being the fear instilled in them by the threats of these criminals. In the South Delhi incident, the British national was reluctant to lodge a formal complaint out of fear

    Tourist

    How do such cases of crimes against tourists tarnish our image?

    • Not only dents our image but also impacts on tourism: Crime against foreigners not only dents our image globally but could also adversely affect the inflow of foreign tourists, which is a vital source of income for our country.
    • It impacts Tourism sector which is one of the significant sources of FOREX: Tourism happens to be one of the biggest foreign exchange earners for India. Such cases may leave tourists moral down and they may lose sense of security.

    What is Tourist police scheme and what steps can be taken to ensure security of the Tourists?

    • Booklet on the tourist police scheme and tourist police stations: The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) has brought out a booklet on the tourist police scheme detailing the mode of setting up of tourist police stations and control rooms, outposts, uniforms, recruitment, qualifications, training and logistics requirements for tourist police stations.
    • Identified tourist spots: As many as 25 popular tourist spots have been identified in the country where the tourist police necessarily need to be deployed to help foreigners. As an incentive, 30% deputation allowance has been recommended for the police personnel who joins the tourist police on deputation.
    • Identified Criminals in and around tourists’ spots need to be kept on constant surveillance: While the setting up of tourist police stations is a commendable step to provide safety to foreigners, much needs to be done to instil a sense of security in them even before they leave their countries for India. With theft being the most common crime committed against foreigners, all criminals in and around tourist spots need to be identified and kept under constant surveillance.
    • Fast track courts should be set immediately to try cases of crimes against tourists: Since foreigners come for short durations, the cases cannot be allowed to linger on in courts for long. Fast track courts should be set up immediately to try cases of crime against foreigners and the culprits punished speedily. It may be recalled that a rape convict, Bitihotra Mohanty, was tried for raping a German national in Alwar (Rajasthan) on March 21, 2006 and he was sentenced to seven years imprisonment on April 12, that is, within 22 days.

    Tourist

    A positive step by Ministry of Tourism

    • For the effective implementation of Tourism police scheme: In order to provide a safe environment for tourists, the Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), organised a conference in New Delhi on October 19, 2022. It was organised with a view to “sensitise the specific requirements of the tourists for effective implementation of Uniform Tourist Police Scheme at pan-India level”.
    • States that have tourist police: Though the concept of ‘tourist police’ has been in vogue for the past few years, it has not been given the kind of attention it deserves. The States that have tourist police are Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Goa, Rajasthan and Kerala.
    • Delhi a neglected state is gearing up for tourist police wing: In view of the forthcoming G20 Summit, the Delhi police is gearing up its tourist police wing, which was hitherto in a neglected state and so are other States which will see a huge influx of foreigners.

    Conclusion

    • With optimistic predictions of about 13.34 million foreign tourists arriving by 2024, there is a pressing need to upgrade our security systems specially to provide a flawless security blanket cover to foreign tourists. Safety assumes utmost importance to draw tourists in hordes.

    Mains question

    Q. What is tourist police scheme? Why it is necessary to have such a tourist security wing in India? What more steps can be taken to ensure the security of tourist in India?

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  • India leaps in to ICAO Aviation Safety Rankings

    icao

    In the rankings by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), India is now at the 48th position, a “quantum leap” from the 102nd rank it had in 2018.

    ICAO Assessment

    • Under the ICAO standards, the Effective Implementation (EI) of six areas were assessed. They are LEG, ORG, PEL, OPS, AIR and AGA.
    1. LEG is Primary Aviation Legislation and Specific Operating Regulations;
    2. ORG is Civil Aviation Organisation;
    3. PEL is Personnel Licensing and Training;
    4. OPS is Aircraft Operations;
    5. AIR is Airworthiness of Aircraft; and
    6. AGA is Aerodrome and Ground Aid.

    How has India fared in ICAO ranking?

    • With a score of 85.49 per cent each, India and Georgia are at the 48th position.
    • Neighbouring Pakistan is at the 100th spot with a score of 70.39 per cent.

    Global scenario

    • The rankings are topped by Singapore with a score of 99.69 per cent.
    • It is followed by the UAE at the second position with a score of 98.8 per cent and the Republic of Korea is at the third place (98.24 per cent).
    • Others in the top ten are France (4th; 96.42 per cent), Iceland (5th; 95.73 per cent), Australia (6th; 95.04 per cent), Canada (7th; 94.95 per cent), Brazil (8th; 94.72 per cent), Ireland (9th; 94.6 per cent) and Chile (10th; 93.9 per cent).

    What is ICAO?

    • The ICAO is a specialized agency of the UN that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation.
    • It fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth.
    • ICAO headquarters are located in the Quartier International of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

    Functions of ICAO

    • Standardization: The ICAO Council adopts standards and recommended practices concerning air navigation, its infrastructure, flight inspection, prevention of unlawful interference, and facilitation of border-crossing procedures etc.
    • Investigation standards: ICAO defines the protocols for air accident investigation that are followed by transport safety authorities in countries signatory to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.

     

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  • Protests against Vizhinjam Port

    vizhinjam

    Kerala’s ambitious Vizhinjam port project for a transshipment container terminal is caught in protests and violence.

    Vizhinjam Port Project

    • In 2015, the Adani Group signed a concession agreement with the Kerala government to build India’s first mega transshipment container terminal at Vizhinjam near Thiruvananthapuram.
    • The ₹7,525 crore project — an all-weather deep-sea port with a depth of 24 meters — can service large megamax-sized container ships.
    • This natural port has no littoral sedimentation, obviating the need for periodic dredging and lowers maintenance costs.
    • The port, which is well-connected to the hinterland, will handle 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units in Phase-I and another 6.2 million TEUs when completed.

    Significance of the project for India?

    • Transshipment hub: The Vizhinjam Port holds the potential to attract a large share of container transshipment traffic that is now handled by Colombo, Singapore or Dubai.
    • Important shipping lane: It located just off the International Shipping Lane and close to the East-West Shipping Axis.
    • Cargo handling: A large share of India’s exports and imports that are now transshipped through these international ports can be handled at Vizhinjam.
    • Reducing logistic costs: It would mean a sharp reduction in shipping costs and lead time. This will go a long way in reducing overall logistics costs and making manufacturing competitive.
    • Employment generation: It will also create thousands of jobs – directly and otherwise.

    Reasons for protests

    • Local fishermen fear displacement and loss of livelihood. They blame higher tides and increasing coastal erosion on the project.
    • Protests has some leftist leaning inherently opposing every development project.
    • A Latin Catholic Church has been at the forefront of the protests.
    • Many right-wing outfits have thrown their weight behind the project and want its quick completion.
    • They blame foreign funding for what they call ‘anti-development’ protests.

     

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  • What is SHAKTI Policy?

    Ministry of Power has launched a scheme for procurement of aggregate power of 4500 MW for 5 years under SHAKTI Policy to help states that are facing power shortages and help generation plants to increase their capacities.

    SHAKTI Policy

    • SHAKTI is an acronym for Scheme for Harnessing and Allocating Koyala Transparently in India.
    • It was launched in 2018 to provide coal to stressed power units which lack coal supply.
    • It seeks to provide coal linkages to power plants which lack fuel supply agreements (FSAs) through coal auctions.

    Need for such policy

    • SHAKTI is a policy designated by the government for the allocation of coal among thermal power plants in a transparent and objective manner.
    • It aims to transfer the benefits of linkage coal to the end consumers.
    • The scheme is supposed to be beneficial not just for the infrastructure sector, but also for the public sector banks which have huge loans unpaid at the end of the power companies.
    • The companies, which did not have coal linkages before the introduction of the Shakti Scheme, would benefit when they would get domestic fuel supplies through auction at competitive rates.
    • The scheme also aims to reduce the dependence on imported coal and promote domestic industries.
    • With this policy, the government also aims to reduce dependence on imported coal.

    Coal linkage scenario in India

    • Coal linkage to the power sector is governed by provisions of the New Coal Distribution Policy (NCDP), 2007.
    • Under the NCDP, a system of issuance of Letter of Assurance (LoA) was introduced.
    • The requests for Linkage/LoA are forwarded to the Ministry of Power for its recommendations.
    • The coal availability scenario has, now, emerged from scarcity to adequacy.

     

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  • In news: Kerala’s SilverLine Project

    Protests are taking place across Kerala against SilverLine, a semi high-speed railway project that envisages trains running at 200 km/h between the state’s northern and southern ends.

    What is the SilverLine project?

    • The proposed 529.45-km line will link Thiruvananthapuram in the south to Kasaragod in the north, covering 11 districts through 11 stations.
    • KRDCL, or K-Rail, is a joint venture between the Kerala government and the Union Ministry of Railways created to execute this project.
    • The deadline for the project, being executed by the Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL), is 2025.

    Features of the Project

    • The project will have trains of electric multiple unit (EMU) type, each with preferably nine cars extendable to 12.
    • A nine-car rake can seat a maximum of 675 passengers in business and standard class settings.
    • The trains can run at a maximum speed of 220 km/hr on a standard gauge track, completing journeys in either direction in fewer than four hours.
    • At every 500 metres, there will be under-passages with service roads.

    Need for the SilverLine project

    • Time saving: On the existing network, it now takes 12 hours. Once the project is completed, one can travel from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram in less than four hours at 200 km/hr.
    • Old infrastructure: Existing railway infrastructure in Kerala cannot meet the demands of the future.
    • Terrain limitations: Most trains run at an average speed of 45 km/hr due to a lot of curves and bends on the existing stretch.
    • De-trafficking: The project can take a significant load of traffic off the existing stretch and make travel faster for commuters, which in turn will reduce congestion on roads and help reduce accidents.
    • Others: The project would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, help in expansion of Ro-Ro services, produce employment opportunities, integrate airports and IT corridors, and enable faster development of cities it passes through.

    Present status of the Project

    Ans. Land acquisition is underway

    • The state government has begun the process of land acquisition after the cabinet approved it this year.
    • As part of the first stage of acquisition, local revenue and K-Rail officials are on the ground, demarcating land and placing boundary stones.
    • This is done to give the officials a sense of how much private land will have to be acquired and the number of families who will be displaced.

    Issues with the Project

    • Political rhetoric: All political parties have been spearheading separate protests.
    • Huge capital requirement: They argue that the project was an “astronomical scam in the making” and would sink the state further into debt.
    • Displacement of families: The project was financially unviable and would lead to the displacement of over 30,000 families.
    • Ecological damage: It would cause great environmental harm as its route cuts through precious wetlands, paddy fields and hills.
    • Flood hazard: The building of embankments on either side of the major portion of the line will block natural drainage and cause floods during heavy rains.

     

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  • What is Wet Leasing of Aircraft?

    wet

    In efforts to boost international air traffic, the civil aviation ministry has allowed Indian airlines to take wide-body planes on wet lease for up to one year.

    What is Wet Leasing?

    • Wet leasing means taking the plane along with the operating crew and engineers, while dry leasing refers to taking only the aircraft on rent.
    • The technical term for wet leasing is ACMI which stands for aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance.
    • These are the aspects of the operation that the wet lease airline takes care of, while the airline client will still be responsible for paying for direct operating costs.
    • This includes catering and fuel as well as fees such as airport fees, ground handling charges and navigation fees.
    • Operations of an aircraft on wet lease are more difficult for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to monitor, which is why it is allowed for shorter durations.

    What are the new rules?

    • The rules had been relaxed, allowing the wet leasing for a year as opposed to the six months permitted so far.
    • Dry leasing was already allowed for up to 12 months, with the option to extend the contract for 12 another year.

    Why has govt extended limit now?

    • The civil aviation ministry’s decision came on a request by the country’s largest airline, IndiGo.
    • It plans for inducting B777 aircraft on wet/damp lease basis during the current winter schedule.
    • The relaxation will be available to all Indian carriers and will be granted based on international destinations they wish to operate to.
    • With Covid-related restrictions lifting, international travel is lifting up, and the wet leasing will allow airlines to fly more routes and rounds.
    • Wide-body planes can accommodate more passengers, thereby boosting revenue.

    Why airlines lease aircraft?

    • About half the planes used by airlines around the world are not owned but leased.
    • Airlines and aircraft operators prefer leasing planes in order to avoid massive lump sum payments that buying them would entail, and to quickly increase capacity, perhaps temporarily, on certain routes or sectors.

     

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  • Civil Aviation Ministry notifies draft Aircraft Security Rules, 2022

    The Ministry of Civil Aviation has notified the draft Aircraft Security Rules, 2022 which enable the aviation security regulator, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) to impose penalties upto ₹1 crore on airports and airlines for violation of security measures.

    Why such move?

    air

    • India’s civil Aviation Sector is facing a unique crisis a crisis of credibility and safety.
    • Some of the issues are-
    1. The windshield of a go air flight cracks mid-air, two go air flights suffer engine snags, a flight could not take off because of a dog on the runway.
    2. A bird was found in the cockpit of an Air India Express cruising at 37 000 feet.
    3. One flight suffered an engine snag another noticed smoke in the cabin.
    4. Luggage is not being loaded or is going missing.

    Draft Aircraft Security Rules, 2022

    • The rules will supersede Aircraft Security Rules, 2011 and were necessary after Parliament passed Aircraft Amendment Act, 2020 in September 2020.
    • It gives statutory powers to BCAS, along with the Director General of Civil Aviation and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.
    • These allow them to impose penalties which could only be imposed by courts earlier.
    • The amendment were necessary after the UN aviation watchdog, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), raised questions about the three regulators functioning without statutory powers.

    Key features

    • Hefty fines: Once the draft Rules are finalised, the BCAS can impose a fine of ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore (depending on the size of the company) on airports and airlines if they fail to prepare and implement a security programme.
    • Security clearance: They can commence operations only after seeking a security clearance.
    • Regulating passenger behaviour: Individuals will also face penalties ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹25 lakh depending on the nature of offence.
    • Data security: In order to deal with cyber security threats, the rules also require each entity to protect its information and communication technology systems against unauthorised use and prohibit disclosure.
    • Unburdening the CISF: The draft rules now authorise airports to engage private security agents instead of CISF personnel at “non-core areas” and assign security duties as per the recommendation of the National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016.

     

    Tap to read more about: India’s ailing Civil Aviation Sector.

     

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  • India’s compulsion to develop The Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI)

    Andaman

    Context

    • The Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI) are in the news as the union government proposing a slew of infrastructure projects to boost business and tourism on the islands, conservation groups are on the warpath.

    The significance of Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI)

    • Oceanic outpost: The ANI is an oceanic outpost for continental India.
    • Facilitates unique surveillance: With a critical vantage location overlooking the ten-degree and six-degree channels (through which a vast majority of cargo and container traffic in the eastern Indian Ocean transits), the islands give India a unique surveillance and maritime interdiction capability.
    • Strategically important: The ANI is a vital ‘staging post’ for maritime operations, and a hub for logistics, providing operational turnaround for Indian warships and aircraft deployed in the Andaman Sea.

    One go Memory shot: Geography of Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI)

    • Location: Located between 6° and 14° North Latitude and 92° and 94° East Longitude lie the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a union territory in India.
    • Two groups of Island: It consists of two groups of islands. The islands located north of 10° north latitude are known as Andaman while islands located south of 10° north latitude are called Nicobar.
    • The Andamans: More than 300 islands make up the Andamans. North, Middle, and South Andaman, known collectively as Great Andaman, are the main islands;
    • The 10- degree channel: The 10-degree channel which is about 145 km long separates Little Andaman in the south from the Nicobar Islands.
    • The Nicobars: The Nicobars consists of 19 islands. Among the most prominent is Car Nicobar in the north; and Great Nicobar in the south. About 90 miles to the southwest of Great Nicobar lies the northwestern tip of Sumatra, Indonesia.
    • Formation: Both the Andaman and Nicobar groups are formed by the above-sea extensions of submarine ridges of mountains and are a part of a great island arc. The highest peak is 2,418 feet at Saddle Peak on North Andaman, followed by Mount Thullier at 2,106 feet on Great Nicobar and Mount Harriet at 1,197 feet on South Andaman. Barren island, the only known active Volcano in south Asia lies in the Andaman Sea. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, there were volcanic eruptions on Barren Island.
    • Andaman Terrain: Formed of sandstone, limestone, and shale of Cenozoic age, the terrain of the Andamans is rough, with hills and narrow longitudinal valleys. Flat land is scarce and is confined to a few valleys.
    • Nicobar Terrain: The terrain of the Nicobar is more diverse than that of the Andamans. Some of the Nicobar Islands, such as Car Nicobar, have flat coral-covered surfaces with offshore coral formations that prevent most ships from anchoring. Other islands, such as Great Nicobar, are hilly and contain numerous fast-flowing streams.
    • Great Nicobar is the only island in the territory with a significant amount of fresh surface water.
      Climate      : The climate of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is tropical but is moderated by sea.

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    Past objections on India developing Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI)

    • Perspective of India’s diplomatic community:
    • When India first began developing the ANI in the 1980s, the defence and foreign policy establishments were not entirely in agreement.
    • India’s diplomatic community opposed the militarization plan, arguing that turning the islands into a strategic-military garrison would weaponize the littorals, an outcome unlikely to sit well with India’s maritime neighbors.
    • Neighbor’s apprehensions: Indonesia and Malaysia were apprehensive that India would use its military facilities on the Andamans to dominate its region, and project power east of Malacca.

    Andaman

    Today’s perspective India developing Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI)

    • More empathy towards India: Today arguably, there is more empathy for Indian compulsions to develop the ANI. It is clear that developing the islands is a necessity for India that could not be overlooked.
    • India’s compulsion: With China expanding its footprint in India’s backyard, regional states realise New Delhi has little option but to consolidate strategically on the islands.
    • Securing maritime borders: In the aftermath of the June 2020 standoff with China in Ladakh, the Indian military has been under growing pressure to forestall Chinese adventurism in the Indian Ocean.
    • Higher stakes for India in eastern Indian Ocean: With China moving to expand its presence in India’s neighbourhood, including at Maldives (Feydhoo Finolhu), Pakistan (Gwadar), Sri Lanka (Hambantota), and Bangladesh (at Cox Bazaar where China is said to be constructing a submarine base), the stakes for India in the eastern Indian Ocean have never been higher.
    • Intentions are good: Asia’s leaders knew that India’s intentions are good because it is willing to keep its security presence on the strategic islands to a minimum.

    Rational behind developing Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI)

    • To counter China’s belt and road Initiative: New Delhi also needs to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The manner of China’s development of infrastructure projects in the Bay of Bengal suggests that it seeks both economic leverage and strategic prowess in South Asia.
    • Countering China Dual use facilities: By some accounts, China is looking for military access to Chinese-built facilities in the Bay of Bengal. Beijing, reportedly, is on a drive to create ‘dual-use’ facilities that have both commercial and military applications.

    What could be the way to counter China in the region

    • By expanding military Presence in BOB: One way for India to counter China’s forays in the Bay of Bengal would be to expand Indian military presence in the littorals. The process is already underway
    • By turning islands into logistic support facilities for navies: The other way for India to counter China is to develop its island territories in the eastern Indian Ocean and offer military facilities therein for logistics support to navies from friendly Quad countries.

    Delicate ecology of the island cannot be ignored

    • Environmentalists contend that construction activity on ecologically sensitive islands could lead to a large-scale loss of biodiversity, which could hurt local communities and the islands’ indigenous people.
    • New Delhi cannot afford to ignore the ecological implications of infrastructure development on the islands, in particular, the proposal for a container terminal at Campbell Bay on the Great Nicobar Island.
    • The project entails the mass culling of forests and could take a toll on the region’s delicate ecological balance.
    • New hotels, resorts, and a trans-shipment port could upend decades of conservation efforts.

    Conclusion

    • The need of the hour is to balance competing requirements: enable development on the islands, while avoiding large-scale environmental damage. As ‘high-wire’ acts go, this is going to be a hard walk for Indian decision-makers.

    Mains question

    Q. China is moving towards increasing its presence in India’s neighborhood and is challenging India in many ways. Analyze India’s compulsion to develop the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI).

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