SECURING THE SEA LANES: The case for developing the Great Nicobar Islands

Date: 08 July 2026

Time: 3:30 PM – 6:00 PM

Organised by: Swadeshi Shodh Sansthan, Delhi Chapter, Invincible Defence Structure Vertical.

Keynote Speaker: Air Marshal Pramod Kumar Roy (PVSM AVSM VM VSM)

Guest of Honour: Shri Dipendra Pathak (IPS), Professor V. Venkatraman and Shri Sandeep Jain.

The Swadeshi Shodh Sansthan Delhi Chapter under Invincible Defence Structure recently organised a significant lecture titled SECURING THE SEA LANES: The case for developing the Great Nicobar Islands. The session brought together distinguished experts from military, administrative, and academic backgrounds to discuss the strategic, economic, and environmental importance of India’s maritime territories.

Key Dignitaries and Speakers

Keynote Speaker: Air Marshal Pramod Kumar Rai (PVSM, AVSM, VSM)

Former Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command and former Commandant of the National Defense College. Currently, he serves as a member of the Governing Council of the India Foundation.

Air Marshal Rai brought decades of service experience to the discussion. He highlighted the shift from 20th-century land-based geopolitics to 21st-century sea-based competition. He provided an in-depth overview of the Great Nicobar Island (GNI) Project, detailing its four pillars: an international container transshipment port, a greenfield international airport, a power plant, and an integrated township. He emphasized that the geography of these islands is a “strategic asset” that counters the “Malacca Dilemma” faced by other regional powers.

Guest of honour: Shri Dipendra Pathak (IPS):

A senior IPS officer with over 30 years of experience, Shri Pathak served as the Director General of Police (DGP) for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from 2018 to 2020.

He characterised the current era as the “Golden Era of Indian Civilisation,” driven by science and technology. Pathak provided a specialised look into the future of security, focusing on Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Computing. He explained how advancements like “qubits” and super-positioning would revolutionise encryption and military hardware, stressing that India must lead in these technologies to ensure national security.

Guest of honour: Professor V. Venkatraman

A senior Professor at IGNOU’s School of Interdisciplinary Studies, is a renowned environmental scientist.

He addressed the “dual nature” of development and conservation. He advocated for “Climate Smart Infrastructure” and “Climate Resilient Infrastructure”. He emphasised that while the GNI project is economically vital, every action must be “quantifiable” in terms of its environmental impact, ensuring that development does not come at the cost of the islands’ fragile ecosystem.

Shri Sandeep Jain, the Managing Director of Value (a financial management consultancy) and former Executive Director of Indian Oil Corporation, attended as a special guest.

Shri Ankit Sharma (Sangathan Mantri): Representing the host organisation, Swadeshi Shodh Sansthan, Shri Ankit ji presented a brief profile of the institute, describing its mission and history since its inception in 2017.

He explained the institute’s focus on eight research verticals, including Defence and Strategic Infrastructure. He highlighted their efforts to promote self-reliance (Atmanirbharta), such as conducting research on energy security and collaborating with institutions like IIT Delhi.

Professor Nandni facilitated the event, introducing the speakers and acknowledging the presence of various researchers and faculty members from multiple institutions.