Imperial expansion in the Nicobar Archipelago: Trade, piracy, and the consolidation of colonial rule

This article seeks to examine the historical significance of the Nicobar Islands by tracing the varied and often overlooked attempts by European powers to colonise the archipelago, culminating in its eventual annexation by the British colonial state and the consolidation of imperial control. While the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have attracted considerable scholarly attention, particularly in relation to the functioning of the penal settlement at Port Blair, the colonial treatment of Indigenous communities, and the resettlement of Partition refugees in the post-independence period, the long and complex history of European engagement with the Nicobar Islands remains largely underexplored. This has contributed to a broader obfuscation of the region’s entanglement with European imperialism. In order to illuminate this neglected dimension, the article is structured in three sections. The first section examines early visits to the islands by European voyagers and traders; the second explores the growing European interest in occupying the archipelago; and the third analyses the eventual British annexation of the Nicobar Islands under the pretext of suppressing piracy and consolidating imperial power.