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Union Minister Kiren Rijiju connected Saturday (June 20, 2026) claimed that the Great Nicobar task volition boost India's economical growth, and it volition springiness supply-chain independency to the country.
Also work | Strategic afterthought: On the Great Nicobar project
Addressing the 'Viksit Bharat Sanklap Sammelan' successful Sri Vijaya Puram, helium said, "The holistic improvement of the Great Nicobar Island aims to equilibrium economical maturation with biology safeguards. All compliance is being followed portion going up with the project, considering the earthy resources."
Mr. Rijiju said, "There are immoderate radical who are opposing the project. They don't similar India's growth. I would similar to pass you that this Great Nicobar Project volition beryllium a 'kendrabindoo' [focal point] erstwhile it comes to our economical growth. It volition beryllium a large maritime and logistics hub successful the Indo-Pacific region."
The Union Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Minister, who is connected a three-day sojourn to Andaman and Nicobar Islands from Friday (June 19, 2026), said the task would importantly lend to India's broader imaginativeness of "Viksit Bharat" by enhancing the islands' economical and strategical importance.
Taking a jibe astatine Congress person Rahul Gandhi, who opposed the task during his sojourn to Andaman and Nicobar successful April, Mr. Rijiju said, "This is not the clip for drama...He [Rahul] came present and dived successful the oversea and campaigned against the project. I besides dived present and saw immense imaginable here. We indispensable unite unneurotic and enactment towards the improvement of our state alternatively than spreading mendacious narratives."
Highlighting the achievements of the Narendra Modi-led authorities implicit the past 12 years, helium said, portion planetary crude lipid prices surged dramatically owed to the West Asia conflict, India constricted the summation to astir 5% for petrol and diesel, portion galore different countries witnessed hikes ranging from 20% to astir 100%. We successfully insulated our citizens, and it became imaginable lone owed to the visionary enactment of Modi ji.
"The full satellite was battling rising substance costs aft the West Asia conflict, but India stood apart," helium said.
Expressing interest implicit fake news, helium said, "There are immoderate radical backed by Congress and the Left who are actively progressive successful spreading fake quality to make hurdles earlier India's maturation and to acceptable antagonistic narratives astir our country. Recently, determination were societal media posts showing maine and Union Law curate Arjun Ram Meghwal ji, on with 75 judges of Supreme Court and High Courts playing badminton successful London. That was fake quality and intentionally posted to malign our image."
"These radical get backing from overseas to dispersed propaganda against India. We are taking enactment against these people," helium said.
Earlier, the Ministry of Law and Justice released a connection denying the claims. According to the statement, connected June 7, 2026, erstwhile the title was held, Meghwal was successful Bikaner, Rajasthan.
Rijiju, portion sharing a 2025 video, besides dismissed the claims, and helium alleged that determination was a conspiracy to malign the judiciary and different important institutions of India.
"It has go a manner present to dispersed fake news. We person to beryllium vigilant astir this," helium said.
"I judge Andaman and Nicobar Islands volition play a decisive relation successful India's travel towards becoming a developed federation by 2047. Our people is Viksit Bharat, and I would similar to petition those who are spreading anti-India narratives... delight don't bash it... If you cannot lend to India's growth, past delight don't make hurdles done fake news," helium said.
On Sunday (June 21, 2026), the Union Minister volition enactment arsenic the Chief Guest astatine the International Day of Yoga 2026 celebrations astatine Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island. Following the programme, helium volition depart for New Delhi.
