Andaman & Nicobar Islands: Endless variety of exotic flora and fauna

Andaman and Nicobar Islands, located in the Indian Ocean are a group of 572 islands. The islands, located in close proximity to Indonesia and Thailand, have a coastline of 1,962 km with 23 minor ports and an international airport in the capital city of Port Blair. The islands have a presence of more than 2,400 MSME units and seven industrial estates. There is huge potential for investments in marine-based industries due to the large coastline. Wood-based industries also offer attractive opportunities due to more than 85% of the total geographical area of the islands under tropical rainforests. With a total cropped area of more than 16,500 ha, coconut, paddy, banana and areca nut are some of the major crops produced in the island cluster. The islands also have opportunities for handicrafts industries due to high demand from visiting tourists. The islands also promote IT/ ITeS-based industries and offer various incentives under its dedicated sector policy.
 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a major tourist attraction with several beaches that offer water sporting and adventure activities such as snorkelling and scuba diving. The coastal belt surrounding these islands is the abode of one of the richest coral reef ecosystem in the world. Ministry of Shipping has identified 12 locations to be developed in phase-I of its Lighthouse Tourism initiative.

Key upcoming projects include:

•  Smart Cities Mission, for which Port Blair is the city identified in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.