This photograph taken on March 26, 2026 shows a construction worker clearing a deforested land, as part of the Great Nicobar Island Project, a government-backed mega-development undertaking at Shastri Nagar village on the outskirts of Campbell Bay in Great Nicobar Island. On a remote island in the Andaman Sea, bulldozers are tearing into pristine forests home to one of Earth's most isolated people -- part of India's ambition for a $9 billion megaport, airport and city. Designed to rival China's investments around the Indian Ocean, New Delhi's colossal project will be built on Great Nicobar Island, a site offering a naval presence far closer to Southeast Asia than India's mainland. (Photo by R. Satish BABU / AFP via Getty Images) / TO GO WITH 'India-Nicobar-Politics-Environment-Economy' FOCUS

This photograph taken on March 26, 2026 shows Sharda Devi, a settler's daughter who migrated from mainland India, standing beside a wall painting at her residence in Govind Nagar on the outskirts of Campbell Bay in Great Nicobar Island. On a remote island in the Andaman Sea, bulldozers are tearing into pristine forests home to one of Earth's most isolated people -- part of India's ambition for a $9 billion megaport, airport and city. Designed to rival China's investments around the Indian Ocean, New Delhi's colossal project will be built on Great Nicobar Island, a site offering a naval presence far closer to Southeast Asia than India's mainland. (Photo by R. Satish BABU / AFP via Getty Images) / TO GO WITH 'India-Nicobar-Politics-Environment-Economy' FOCUS

This photograph taken on March 30, 2026 shows a passenger retrieving his plastic bottles after they fell down while travelling on the MV Kalighat vessel near Chowra in the waters of India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Running from the archipelago's capital Sri Vijayapuram in the north to the southern tip of Campbell Bay, the ferry serves as both a passenger and cargo ship. (Photo by R. Satish BABU / AFP via Getty Images) / To go with 'India-Andaman Nicobar-Economy-Shipping-Tourism' by Bhuvan BAGGA

This photograph taken on March 28, 2026 shows a vendor sorting bags outside a general store at Campbell Bay in Great Nicobar Island. On a remote island in the Andaman Sea, bulldozers are tearing into pristine forests home to one of Earth's most isolated people -- part of India's ambition for a $9 billion megaport, airport and city. Designed to rival China's investments around the Indian Ocean, New Delhi's colossal project will be built on Great Nicobar Island, a site offering a naval presence far closer to Southeast Asia than India's mainland. (Photo by R. Satish BABU / AFP via Getty Images) / TO GO WITH 'India-Nicobar-Politics-Environment-Economy' FOCUS

This photograph taken on March 26, 2026 shows construction workers walking past a smoke-spewing tarmac mixer while they build a road cutting through forest land, as part of the Great Nicobar Island Project, a government-backed mega-development undertaking on the outskirts of Campbell Bay in Great Nicobar Island. On a remote island in the Andaman Sea, bulldozers are tearing into pristine forests home to one of Earth's most isolated people -- part of India's ambition for a $9 billion megaport, airport and city. Designed to rival China's investments around the Indian Ocean, New Delhi's colossal project will be built on Great Nicobar Island, a site offering a naval presence far closer to Southeast Asia than India's mainland. (Photo by R. Satish BABU / AFP via Getty Images) / TO GO WITH 'India-Nicobar-Politics-Environment-Economy' FOCUS

This photograph taken on March 26, 2026 shows a boy walking along a street at Shastri Nagar village on the outskirts of Campbell Bay in Great Nicobar Island. On a remote island in the Andaman Sea, bulldozers are tearing into pristine forests home to one of Earth's most isolated people -- part of India's ambition for a $9 billion megaport, airport and city. Designed to rival China's investments around the Indian Ocean, New Delhi's colossal project will be built on Great Nicobar Island, a site offering a naval presence far closer to Southeast Asia than India's mainland. (Photo by R. Satish BABU / AFP via Getty Images) / TO GO WITH 'India-Nicobar-Politics-Environment-Economy' FOCUS

This photograph taken on March 26, 2026 shows construction workers operating a smoke-spewing tarmac mixer to build a road cutting through forest land, as part of the Great Nicobar Island Project, a government-backed mega-development undertaking on the outskirts of Campbell Bay in Great Nicobar Island. On a remote island in the Andaman Sea, bulldozers are tearing into pristine forests home to one of Earth's most isolated people -- part of India's ambition for a $9 billion megaport, airport and city. Designed to rival China's investments around the Indian Ocean, New Delhi's colossal project will be built on Great Nicobar Island, a site offering a naval presence far closer to Southeast Asia than India's mainland. (Photo by R. Satish BABU / AFP via Getty Images) / TO GO WITH 'India-Nicobar-Politics-Environment-Economy' FOCUS

This photograph taken on March 25, 2026 shows navigating officers working inside wheelhouse cabin of the Nalanda passenger vessel plying across the waters of India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Running from the archipelago's capital Sri Vijayapuram in the north to the southern tip of Campbell Bay, the ferry serves as both a passenger and cargo ship. (Photo by R. Satish BABU / AFP via Getty Images) / To go with 'India-Andaman Nicobar-Economy-Shipping-Tourism' by Bhuvan BAGGA