Fears for tribes, forests as India eyes Andaman island expansion - Bollywood music blares from a

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Bollywood music blares from a line of food stalls serving tourists outside the entrance to a thickly-forested tribal reserve on India's far-flung Andaman and Nicobar islands.

In This Pic : Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Pic Courtesy : Getty Images

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Beyond the barrier patrolled by police, a few hundreds members of the Jarawa tribe hunt the lush rainforest for turtles and pigs and shoot fish with bows and arrows, largely unseen and untouched by the outside world.

In This Pic : Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Pic Courtesy : Getty Images

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As Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government seeks to accelerate development on the islands to promote its military, trade and tourism, preserving the pristine environment and handful of unique tribes is likely to get harder.

In This Pic : Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Pic Courtesy : Getty Images

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"The islands are fragile, they are in a seismically active zone not far from Indonesia's Aceh coast," said Pankaj Sekhsaria of environmental group Kalpavriksh.

In This Pic : Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Pic Courtesy : Getty Images

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"Above all, they are home to indigenous tribes. This is their land, their history. There are serious concerns about the impact of tourists ... If history is any indication, interaction between our world and their world has proved damaging for them."

In This Pic : Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Pic Courtesy : Getty Images