Surrounded by scheduled wildlife areas, Bitra forms part of the subcontinent's only coral atoll reef system, and contributes to the 79,000 sq km of ecologically sensitive marine landscape that defines Lakshadweep.
Published Jul 25, 2025 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 30, 2025 | 6:34 PM
Bitra Island. (Supplied)
Synopsis: Bitra is the smallest inhabited island in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. The Lakshadweep Administration is aggressively moving towards a takeover of Bitra, citing national security concerns, raising alarms among environmentalists and islanders alike.
Bitra — often hailed as the ‘Jewel of Lakshadweep’ — is a glistening speck in the vast Arabian Sea, rich in ecological charm and marine wealth. With just 0.105 sq km of land, Bitra is the smallest inhabited island in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, yet it cradles a sprawling lagoon of over 45 sq km and boasts the highest percentage of live coral cover in the archipelago.
An oval-shaped stretch of white sands and turquoise shallows, the island is part of the Aminidivi group and home to fewer than 300 people. Despite its modest size, Bitra’s environmental significance is monumental — a natural sanctuary of coral atolls, reefs, and rich marine biodiversity.
Surrounded by scheduled wildlife areas, it forms part of the subcontinent’s only coral atoll reef system, and contributes to the 79,000 sq km of ecologically sensitive marine landscape that defines Lakshadweep.
Yet, this serene island — accessible by boat from the Amini jetty — now finds itself at the centre of a growing storm.
The Lakshadweep Administration is aggressively moving towards a takeover of Bitra, citing national security concerns, raising alarms among environmentalists and islanders alike. As the fate of this fragile ecosystem hangs in the balance, questions loom large: Will the country’s northernmost coral haven be preserved — or compromised in the name of strategy?
Bitra Island.
Tucked away in the Arabian Sea, Bitra is the smallest inhabited island in the Lakshadweep group — but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in charm.
Surrounded by the largest lagoon among the Laccadive islands, its crystal-clear, tranquil waters lend it a rare, untouched beauty, often drawing comparisons to the Hawaiian isles.
Until the early 19th century, Bitra remained a haven for seabirds, its dense brushwood and shrubs making it a perfect breeding ground.
The island’s original name, often referred to as the “Tree Island” in early maps, reflects this lush vegetation that once blanketed its landscape.
It’s said that islanders from nearby Kiltan and Chetlat would regularly sail to Bitra to collect the tens of thousands of bird eggs that once covered the island.
These expeditions made Bitra a vital seasonal hunting ground and an important source of protein for the locals.
However, with time, human intrusion took its toll. As visits grew more frequent and eggs were harvested in large numbers, the birds slowly abandoned the island, never to return in their former flocks.
The change marked the end of Bitra as a wild bird sanctuary and the beginning of its gradual settlement.
Among the island’s intriguing cultural features is the shrine of Malik Mulla, an old Arab saint believed to have been buried on the island centuries ago. Even today, this modest shrine attracts pilgrims from other islands, preserving Bitra’s spiritual significance amid its natural serenity. Surprisingly, Bitra remained uninhabited until the mid-20th century.
The Lakshadweep administration website itself says that it was only around 1945, a woman from Chetlat, along with her son, became the island’s first permanent settlers, setting up a modest household that would eventually lay the foundation for the tiny community that exists today.
The first known British account of Bitra came from W Robinson in 1848, who documented the socio-political and ecological aspects of the Lakshadweep islands.
His writings, along with earlier remarks by Hugh Murray et al. in 1832, revealed that Bitra had not yet been accurately surveyed at the time. Robinson’s work included one of the earliest references to seabird nesting on Bitra, underlining its importance in the region’s ecological and human history.
Today, Bitra stands as a lonely but lovely sentinel in the sea — a tranquil reminder of nature’s abundance and fragility. Though small in population and landmass, its vast lagoon, spiritual legacy, and ecological past make it a true gem of the Lakshadweep archipelago.
Beyond its windswept shores and coral sands, Bitra hides a remarkable underwater phenomenon. And that groundbreaking discovery in the waters off Bitra was made by marine biologists Rucha Karkarey and Shreya Yadav from the Nature Conservation Foundation.
They identified the largest known spawning aggregation of the squaretail coral grouper (Plectropomus areolatus) in Indian waters.
Squaretail coral grouper.
The discovery, documented in a 2015 Caravan article, came during an archipelago-wide coral reef survey undertaken in the wake of a catastrophic 2010 bleaching event.
The scientists found that between December and April, around every new moon, thousands of squaretail groupers gathered like clockwork over a four-hectare reef patch — an area roughly the size of five football fields— to spawn.
This site recorded over 3,600 fish per four hectares, a density that surpassed similar aggregations in biodiversity hotspots like Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.
They also highlighted that the densities of squaretail grouper in Bitra were perhaps the highest of any site in the Indo-Pacific region.
This was India’s first formally documented grouper spawning aggregation based entirely on direct underwater observations—an ecological marvel that also ignited a national conversation on marine conservation. Groupers, top predators of reef ecosystems, play a crucial role in maintaining balance in coral reef food webs.
However, their spawning aggregations are vulnerable targets for fisheries, especially in regions where marine protections are weak or absent. The squaretail coral grouper is highly prized in the international live reef fish trade, and overfishing has led to its global listing as “Vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
In a rare example of community-led conservation, the people of Bitra responded to the scientific findings with hope and responsibility.
In 2014, with the support of local fishers and the island’s governing council, a temporary fishing closure was declared to protect the spawning groupers.
Squaretail coral grouper.
The aggregation site was celebrated as India’s first “floating reserve”—a term reflecting both the mobility of marine life and the absence of physical boundaries under water. But paradise proved fragile.
As tuna catches declined, pressure increased on reef fish like groupers, which were once ignored in favour of pelagic species. Economic compulsion began to outweigh conservation ideals, and the floating reserve’s protection was quietly revoked.
The poignant story of Bitra’s groupers was retold in 2023, through a 17-minute short film titled ‘Belonging‘ by marine biologist-turned-filmmaker Pooja Rathod.
Told through the eyes and voice of a female squaretail grouper, the film offers a poetic yet urgent meditation on the challenges of marine protection in island communities. It highlights the delicate balance between ecological stewardship and economic survival.
Belonging was featured by National Geographic, further amplifying the tale of Bitra’s unique marine legacy.
Bitra Island.
On 11 July, a notification of the Lakshadweep administration raised alarm among conservationists, fishers, and cultural stakeholders.
The notification from the Department of Revenue under the Lakshadweep Administration proposed the acquisition of the entire land area of Bitra Island — the smallest inhabited island in the Union Territory — with the stated intent of transferring it to “relevant defence and strategic agencies.”
The notification cited Bitra’s strategic location, its importance to national security, and the logistical and administrative challenges of civilian habitation as primary reasons for the move.
An excerpt from the notification.
However, the decision has drawn sharp responses from marine conservationists and members of Lakshadweep’s fishing communities, who warn of serious ecological, cultural, and social fallout.
“This issue deserves careful attention, especially considering the island’s ecological, cultural, and social significance within Lakshadweep,” a marine conservationist, who has worked in the region for over 15 years, told South First on condition of anonymity.
From a fisheries standpoint, Bitra has long served as a seasonal base for tuna fishers from the southern islands.
Fishers have historically used Bitra to access the northern reefs of Cheriyapani and Veliyapani, harvesting and drying fish that are vital to both local livelihoods and food security.
“Displacing these communities could disrupt not just an island—but a whole network of economic, ecological, and cultural interconnections,” the conservationist explained.
Bitra is also home to a revered dargah, making it an important pilgrimage site.
The island is inhabited by a small community of fishers from Chetlat, who have served as stewards of the reef systems for generations. Their presence and traditional knowledge have been integral in maintaining a sustainable balance between human activity and marine conservation.
“Our research has shown that empowering these communities to manage fisheries adaptively could be a global model for sustainable reef stewardship. Removing them risks upsetting a delicate ecological balance,” the conservationist warned.
Bitra’s large reef area, low fishing pressure, and unique oceanographic features have made it a biodiversity haven. It is home to rare and large fish species and numerous reef sites critical for spawning.
“One reef near Bitra was once among the world’s largest squaretail grouper spawning sites,” said the conservationist. “This played a vital role in replenishing fish populations across the region.”
Marine biologist Rathod further emphasised the island’s uniqueness.
“Bitra is the only known island in India where a squaretail grouper spawning aggregation has been documented. It’s also a breeding ground for many other coral reef fish species. There’s no doubt — it must be left alone and protected,” Rathod told South First.
Citing global precedents, the conservationist drew parallels with Diego Garcia, where the eviction of the Chagossians in the 1960s for the construction of a military base led to decades of displacement and controversy.
“Despite militarisation, it failed to prevent illegal fishing or address climate threats. The UK’s recent decision to return Diego Garcia to Mauritius underlines the long-term consequences of such actions,” the conservationist said.
Residents have initiated campaigns on social media against the notification.
The experts who spoke to South First were not dismissing national security concerns, but called for a more balanced and inclusive approach.
“We need solutions that integrate defence priorities with the rights and knowledge of local communities. Co-existence and collaboration should be the way forward,” they noted.
At the same time, Koya Komalam of the Save Lakshadweep Forum told South First that behind the veil of “national security”, Administrator Praful Khoda Patel appears to have set his sights on tapping into the island’s immense tourism potential.
“Bitra is a paradise for sunbathing, skin diving, scuba diving, snorkelling, canoeing, yacht sailing, and coral reef exploration through glass-bottom boats,” he said.
“Its beaches and vibrant underwater ecosystem make it an ideal tourist hotspot. But now, an entire island is being quietly acquired under the pretext of strategic needs — something much bigger is clearly being planned,” he added.
According to Komalam, invoking national security allows the administration to bypass scrutiny.
“Going by the trajectory of recent developments in Lakshadweep, this move too seems designed to benefit private players — corporates eyeing a windfall at the cost of islanders and their homeland,” he alleged.
Naval detachment under construction. (Supplied)
Islanders also raised eyebrows over the sudden move to acquire the entire landmass of Bitra Island for “relevant defence and strategic agencies.” Their question is pointed: With a naval detachment already under construction, what necessitates the complete acquisition of the island?
Back in October 2021, the Indian Navy had already marked its presence on the island.
The then-Southern Naval Command chief, Vice Admiral AK Chawla, laid the foundation stone for a naval detachment at Bitra.
The ceremony also saw Sapana Chawla, President of the Navy Wives’ Welfare Association (Southern Region), symbolically laying the foundation brick for the upcoming facility.
Now, with work underway for that detachment, islanders wonder if the latest notification is an afterthought—or part of a larger, undisclosed plan.
Bitra stands at a crossroads. What unfolds next will not just shape the fate of a tiny island, but echo across every coastline where nature and people still live in harmony.
South First reached out to the Ministry of Defence and the Lakshadweep Administration, including the Administrator, with key questions: What makes Bitra Island strategically significant from a defence perspective? How does its location enhance national security? Are there specific geopolitical, maritime, or surveillance-related factors driving this move? However, responses to these queries are still awaited.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
