The Great Nicobar Project of India represents a critical juncture in the country’s geopolitical and economic strategy, exposing the contradictions of development in the postcolonial state. Approved by the Indian government in 2021 with an initial budget of Rs 72000 crore, the project encapsulates India’s ambition to cement its strategic position in the Indo-Pacific. After evaluating the project’s scope and phases, the budget was revised to Rs 8000 crore. Over three decades, this multisectoral development aims to build a township accommodating tens of thousands of people, an international airport, power plants, and a deep-sea transshipment port....