In the context of Indian geography, in which one of the following islands of India is an active volcano found?

Introduction / Context:
This question tests knowledge of a very specific but frequently asked fact in Indian and world geography, namely the location of India's only confirmed active volcano. Many competitive exams include questions on physical geography of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and knowing which island hosts the active volcano helps learners connect plate tectonics, island arcs and national boundaries in a simple factual way.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The question is restricted to islands that belong to India.
- Only one of the listed islands has a known active volcano.
- The options are all islands or locations from the Andaman and Nicobar region or nearby areas.
- We assume standard school-level Indian geography as the reference.

Concept / Approach:
The key concept here is the distribution of volcanoes along plate boundaries and island arcs. The Andaman and Nicobar group of islands lie along an active tectonic boundary where the Indian plate is subducting beneath the Burma microplate. This tectonic setting allows magma to rise and form volcanic islands. Among the Indian islands, Barren Island is well known for its active volcano that has erupted multiple times in recent history. Other islands like Car Nicobar, Nancowry, Maya Bunder or Little Andaman do not have active volcanism recorded in modern times. So the approach is to recall which specific island is associated with an active volcano and eliminate the others.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the only confirmed active volcano of India is located in the Andaman Sea, east of the main Andaman group of islands.Step 2: From basic geography, connect the name of this volcano with its host island; the island itself is called Barren Island.Step 3: Check each option. Car Nicobar and Nancowry are inhabited Nicobar islands known for settlements, not active volcanism.Step 4: Maya Bunder is a town and harbour region in North Andaman, not a volcanic island.Step 5: Little Andaman is another island used mainly for forestry and agriculture and has no active volcano.Step 6: Therefore, the only island among the options that matches the active volcano fact is Barren Island.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick verification approach is to remember news items. When newspapers report about India's only active volcano erupting, they always mention Barren Island in the Andamans. Geography textbooks and atlases also mark Barren Island with a volcano symbol. No similar marking is shown for Car Nicobar, Nancowry, Maya Bunder or Little Andaman. This independent check confirms that Barren Island is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Car Nicobar Island: This is an important inhabited island of the Nicobar group but has no active volcano.
Nancowry Island: Part of the central Nicobar group, again inhabited but not volcanically active.
Maya Bunder Island: Maya Bunder is a town and anchorage area in North Andaman and is not a separate volcanic island.
Little Andaman Island: A large island with forests and plantations, but no recorded active volcano.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to assume that any remote island in the Andaman and Nicobar chain might host volcanoes and to guess names like Car Nicobar because they are more familiar. Another error is to confuse Barren Island with barren or uninhabited parts of other islands and think it is just a descriptive word, not a proper name. Some learners also overlook that the question asks specifically for an active volcano, not an extinct or dormant one. Remembering that Barren Island is a distinct small island with an active stratovolcano helps avoid these errors.

Final Answer:
Barren Island