Why Andaman Doesn't Feel Like Just Another Indian Territory
Sri Vijaya Puram | July 6, 2026 Imagine governing a place where every sack of cement, every litre of fuel, every ambulance, and even many government officials must first cross more than 1,200 kilometres of sea before reaching their destination. Welcome to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands , India's most isolated and perhaps most uniquely administered Union Territory. For many visitors, the islands feel almost like another country. Flights from mainland India take several hours, ships require days, and daily life is shaped less by highways and railways than by tides, weather conditions and ferry schedules. Yet these islands remain an inseparable part of India, making their administration unlike anywhere else in the country. Unlike Indian states, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands do not have a Legislative Assembly or an elected Chief Minister. Instead, the Union Territory is administered by the Lieutenant Governor on behalf of the Central Government. As a result, many important decision...