India, Jan. 19 -- Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the biodiversity of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands is critical for both environmental sustainability and economic security, highlighting its strategic national importance during his visit to the Zoological Survey of India's (ZSI) Regional Centre in Sri Vijaya Puram.
He described the islands as a "living laboratory of biodiversity," stressing that scientific research must align with conservation and sustainable livelihoods. He noted that ZSI plays a key role in generating reliable data for national policies on biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and the Blue Economy.
Dr. C. Sivaperuman, Officer-in-Charge of the ZSI centre, briefed the Minister on the institute's extens...