Providing independent, quality reference documents, this report highlights issues related to the development priorities of the islands and looks to the future in areas such as health, education, tribal development, environment, agriculture, ports, and shipping and air connectivity. The analysis also suggests a long-term plan to restore the livelihoods adversely affected by the Tsunami in December 2004, and it serves as a useful reference to stimulate informed debate on the policy issues faced by the Union Territory.

Andaman & Nicobar Islands located over 1200 km to India’s East are nature’s bounty inherited by India during the process of our Independence. Located on the strategic Sea Lines of Communication connecting the Indian Ocean to the Asia-Pacific region and sitting at the entrance of the Malacca Straits, they provide India with strategic reach and could act as a launch pad in the geographical vicinity of South-East Asia. In this book, the authors have brought in their nuanced views on issues of geopolitical reality of the 21st century, the importance of these islands, and the contribution that these islands could make to the security of mainland India. The book initially provides an insight into the present global strategic environment focusing especially on the Indian Ocean Region, the Chinese ‘String of Pearls’ strategy as well as China’s ‘Malacca Dilemma’. It further brings out the strengths of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, their strategic significance and recommends a way ahead for their development. It finally suggests a set of comprehensive set of policy recommendations.

This book critically examines the relevance of the geographical location of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands near to Malacca strait gives ample scope for free port, transshipment port, ship repair base and offshore bunkering facility for International Sea Lanes (ISLs). To create potentially a very strong maritime power and felicitator in the region and to eliminate the sea piracy, drug trafficking and gunrunners in the region, the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) formed recently, playing decisive role and promoting cooperation among littoral countries of Bay of Bengal. The Geo-politics and strategic studies remain relevant in the changing world scenario, irrespective of the fact whether there is war or peace. The Geo-politics will remain relevant as long as there is multi-state system, which includes weak as well as powerful states. There is increasing fragmentation and marginalisation of the countries of the south Asia in the Asian power structure. There is an imperative need to safeguard the energy interests and voicing the concerns of the India in the era of globalization particularly the presence of Sea Tigers, pirates, smugglers, gunrunners and Muslim fundamentalist in the region and posing threat to India’s sovereignty. India has embarked on a period of radical changes in its economic policies. In this context this volume will be useful for the strategic analysts and foreign policy planners for securing better tomorrow in the context of ``Look East'' policy. Indeed the islands have possessed enormous geo-political and strategic importance due to close proximity with ASEAN and BIMSTEC countries. This volume is a significant contribution to the existing literature on geo-politics and strategic studies.

This book offers an extensive study of indigenous communities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, and their methods of forest conservation, along with an exploration of the impact of forestry operations in the islands and the wide scale damage they have incurred on both the land and the people. Through an in-depth analysis of the contrasting indigenous practices and governmental forestry schemes, the author has compared the modern ‘Joint Forest Management’ resolution with the ethos and practices of the indigenous people of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Throughout the book, readers will learn about the different indigenous communities inhabiting these islands and the treasure of knowledge each of them provide on forest conservation. The book establishes that the notion of knowledge is politicized by the dominant culture in the context of Andaman’s forest tribes, and traces how this denial of the existence of indigenous knowledge by government officials has led to reduced forest area in the region. The book also explores and analyses strategies to utilize and conserve the tribes' profound knowledge of the biodiversity of the islands and study their efforts towards forest conservation, protection and rejuvenation.

Joining previous editions on other Indian states, this report reviews Lakshadweep’s development experience and highlights issues critical for its future progress. This analysis serves as a useful reference and stimulates informed debate on policy issues facing this tropical paradise of the western coast of India that promises to be an attractive, exotic tourist destination.

This first full-length book addresses disasters in the context of vulnerability of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands that comprise 572 islands in the Bay of Bengal. It looks at the disasters that the islands have experienced in the last 200 years and analyzes major disasters since colonization by the British. Raising some critical questions, this book attempts to understand the overall profile of disasters – the facts, causes, damage, response and recovery – in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It discusses earthquakes, cyclones, tsunami and epidemics, as well as impacts of World War II, the penal colony and the post-Independence resettlement on the tribal population. The work will serve as a rich resource with its detailed tables, figures, maps and diagrams; appendices; and database ranging from travelogues, Census of India reports and fieldwork to Right to Information (RTI) petitions that collect hitherto unknown facts. The book will be useful to students of geography, disasters and disasters management, climate and environmental studies, history, sociology, island and ocean studies, and South Asian studies.

Joining previous editions on other Indian states, this report focuses on Sikkim, a state that is a popular tourist destination for its culture, scenic beauty, and biodiversity. Analyzing the entire range of the state’s development issues of interest to businesses, nongovernmental organizations, research organizations, and policy makers, this volume discusses the constraints and challenges faced by Sikkim and provides a blueprint for its socioeconomic progress.

This book examines India’s naval strategy within the context of Asian regional security. Amidst the intensifying geopolitical contestation in the waters of Asia, this book investigates the growing strategic salience of the Indian Navy. Delhi’s expanding economic and military strength has generated a widespread debate on India’s prospects for shaping the balance of power in Asia. This volume provides much needed texture to the abstract debate on India’s rise by focusing on the changing nature of India’s maritime orientation, the recent evolution of its naval strategy, and its emerging defence diplomacy. In tracing the drift of the Navy from the margins of Delhi’s national security consciousness to a central position, analysing the tension between its maritime possibilities and the continentalist mind set, and in examining the gap between the growing external demands for its security contributions and internal ambivalence, this volume offers rare insights into India’s strategic direction at a critical moment in the nation’s evolution. By examining the internal and external dimensions of the Indian naval future, both of which are in dynamic flux, the essays here help a deeper understanding of India’s changing international possibilities and its impact on Asian and global security. This book will be of much interest to students of naval strategy, Asian politics, security studies and IR, in general.