Port Blair (Sri Vijay Puram): In a sudden U-turn that could reignite questions over the proposed expansion of high-end infrastructure in the ecologically fragile Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the UT Administration has withdrawn its Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting private players to explore setting up a “Green AI/Data Centre” in the islands. The EOI, issued by the IT Secretariat on August 10, was withdrawn with immediate effect four days later, on August 14, citing only “administrative reasons”. No details have been offered on what prompted the withdrawal.
The abrupt reversal comes against the backdrop of growing scrutiny over the scale and ecological implications of planned infrastructure development in the islands, particularly Great Nicobar, where a massive infrastructure push is already under way.
The withdrawn EOI had envisaged private-sector participation in developing a green AI or data-centre ecosystem at identified locations in Great Nicobar or Little Andaman. The proposed facilities could have included hyperscale and AI-focused data centres, GPU and high-performance computing infrastructure, cloud and sovereign digital infrastructure.
The proposal also envisaged an environmentally oriented design, including renewable-energy-powered data centres, seawater-based or other innovative cooling systems and technologies aimed at reducing or eliminating the use of freshwater for cooling.
In Great Nicobar, four potential coastal locations had been identified—Campbell Bay, Anderson Bay, Vijaynagar Bay and Gandhinagar Bay. The withdrawal, however, leaves unanswered the larger question: Why was an EOI floated and then withdrawn within days?
The development assumes significance because Great Nicobar is already at the centre of an ambitious infrastructure programme estimated at around ₹92,000 crore, encompassing a greenfield airport, an international transshipment terminal, a power plant, township and tourism-related infrastructure.
The scale of the planned development has triggered intense environmental debate, particularly over the proposed diversion of forest land and the felling of trees. Environmentalists and experts have warned that the cumulative impact could be severe for the island’s rainforests and its exceptionally rich biodiversity.
The projects have also faced scrutiny over the environmental clearance process and concerns regarding the extent to which objections and apprehensions raised by local communities were adequately considered. Two cases linked to these issues are currently pending before the Calcutta High Court.
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Against this backdrop, the now-withdrawn proposal for a major AI/data-centre footprint in the islands had the potential to add another layer to the debate over balancing strategic infrastructure, digital ambitions and ecological safeguards.
For now, the Administration’s terse reference to “administrative reasons” offers no clarity on whether the Green AI/data-centre initiative has merely been deferred, is being reconsidered in a different form, or has effectively been shelved.
