Sabang port feasibility study under review

India has completed a feasibility study detailing the expansion and development
prospects of Sabang port, located in Aceh province roughly 700km from the Andaman
and Nicobar island.
The study is now being reviewed by Indonesia, according to livemint.com citing an
unnamed source.
Successful development of the port would allow India easier access to Malacca Strait,
bolstering its military position vis-a-vis China in the Indian Ocean.
This development comes amid growing interest in infrastructure development projects
in Indonesia, specifically the construction of new capital Nusantara. Indian companies
are also in talks to develop a port in Western Sumatra.
Yet progress has been slow since 2018, when the port's development was first
mentioned during India Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first official visit to
Indonesia.
 “The Leaders shared their views on the importance of intensifying infrastructure
development in both countries and the mutual benefit of enhancing infrastructure
development cooperation. In this regard, the leaders appreciated the decision to set up
a Joint Task Force to undertake projects for port related infrastructure in and around
Sabang," said Modi and Widodo during their 2018 joint statement at the 1st India-
Indonesia Infrastructure Forum.