Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh said on Monday that the biodiversity of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is critical to India’s environmental sustainability and economic security, describing the archipelago as a “living laboratory of biodiversity”.
Singh made the remarks during a visit to the Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre of the Zoological Survey of India, where he underscored the strategic importance of island ecosystems for climate resilience, conservation planning and the country’s ‘blue economy’ goals.
Addressing scientists and officials, Singh underscored the need to strengthen institutions such as the Zoological Survey of India to generate reliable data for evidence-based policymaking. He was briefed by C. Sivaperuman, Scientist and Officer-in-Charge, on the Regional Centre’s mandate, ongoing research programmes and its role in documenting, conserving and monitoring the islands’ unique faunal diversity, including work in taxonomy, molecular systematics, DNA barcoding, biodiversity assessment and capacity building.
Established in 1977, the Centre has completed nearly 90 research programmes, published 85 books and over 850 research papers, reported more than 20 species new to science, and documented close to 900 new faunal records from the region.
The Minister also visited the ZSI Museum, which houses around 3,500 specimens across 22 faunal groups and attracts up to one lakh visitors annually. He was informed about ZSI Port Blair’s role as the nodal centre for India’s first National Coral Reef Research Institute, aimed at strengthening marine research and conservation. Emphasising closer integration of science, policy and community awareness, Singh said robust scientific institutions are essential to safeguarding fragile ecosystems and achieving India’s long-term environmental goals.
