Island territories—Andaman & Nicobar (A&N) and Lakshadweep—are ecologically fragile, space-limited, disaster-prone, and water-scarce. Regional planning aligns land–sea uses across islands, preventing piecemeal projects from breaching ecological thresholds.

Why crucial: (1) Carrying capacity-based tourism—Havelock/Neil (A&N) need caps on beds, wastewater norms, and reef-safe activities to protect coral ecosystems. (2) Hazard-informed zoning—cyclone, tsunami, and sea-level rise risk maps guide setbacks, stilted structures, and mangrove buffers. (3) Freshwater security—island aquifers are thin; integrated plans for rainwater harvesting, desalination where necessary, and leakage control are lifelines. (4) Biodiversity and biosecurity—endemic species demand protected areas and strict controls on invasive species, ballast water, and inter-island movement. (5) Livelihoods—community-centric fisheries management, tuna longline limits, mariculture zones, and value-chain infrastructure reduce pressure on reefs while raising incomes. (6) Low-carbon energy and waste—solar–battery microgrids, decentralized waste segregation/composting prevent diesel dependence and marine litter. (7) Connectivity—appropriately scaled jetties, roll-on/roll-off ferries, and digital links integrate islands without overbuilding.

Examples show that where plans combine hazard zoning with wastewater treatment and reef protection, beaches recover and dive tourism remains viable; where resort sprawl and sand mining went unchecked, erosion and reef decline followed. Thus, a regional planning lens—land–coast–ocean integrated, community-led, and regulation-enforced—is indispensable to keep island economies prosperous without sacrificing the very ecosystems that sustain them.