India’s Arctic Policy (UPSC Current Affairs)

Relevance: GS3 - Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Conservation

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Why in the news?

• India's Arctic Policy, titled 'India and the Arctic: Building a Partnership for Sustainable Development,' was recently unveiled by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
• As an observer, India holds one of the Arctic Council's 13 positions.
• The Arctic Council is an intergovernmental organization that promotes research and facilitates cooperation among the Arctic countries on issues related to environmental protection and the sustainable development of the Arctic region.

What are the key points?

• India's engagement with the Arctic began in 1920, when it signed the Svalbard Treaty in Paris between Norway, the United States, Denmark, France, Japan, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, as well as the British overseas Dominions and Sweden, concerning Spitsbergen.
  • Spitsbergen is the largest island in Norway's Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean.
  • Spitsbergen is Svalbard's only permanently inhabited part. Year-round, more than half of the land is covered in ice. Mountains and fjords, in addition to glaciers, define the landscape.
• Since then, India has been closely monitoring all developments in the Arctic region.
• In 2007, India launched its Arctic research program, with an emphasis on climate change in the region.
• The goals included studying the teleconnections between Arctic climate and the Indian monsoon, characterizing Arctic sea ice using satellite data, and estimating the effect on global warming.
• India also conducts a study on the dynamics and mass budget of Arctic glaciers, as well as sea-level changes, as well as an assessment of the Arctic flora and fauna.

What are the Key Provisions of India's Arctic Policy?

• Environmental protection
• Science and research
• Transportation and connectivity
• Economic and human development
• National capacity building
• International cooperation and governance

Objectives

• Its goal is to improve national capabilities and competencies in science and exploration, maritime and economic cooperation, climate and environmental protection with the Arctic region.
• Through inter-ministerial coordination, it seeks to strengthen the institutional and human resource capacity within the government as well as academic, research, and business institutions in pursuit of India's Arctic interests.
• It aims to improve understanding of the impact of Arctic climate change on India's climate, economic, and energy security.
• It aims to promote better analysis, prediction, and coordinated policymaking on the implications of Arctic ice melting on India's economic, military, and strategic interests in global shipping routes, energy security, and mineral wealth exploitation.
• It aims to study the linkages between polar regions and the Himalayas, as well as to strengthen cooperation between India and Arctic countries through various Arctic forums, drawing on scientific and traditional knowledge.
• The policy also aims to increase India's participation in the Arctic Council and to improve understanding of the Arctic's complex governance structures, relevant international laws, and geopolitics.

What is the significance of the Arctic for India?

• The importance of the Arctic region arises from the shipping routes that pass through it.
• According to a study published by Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses, the Arctic's negative effects are not only impacting the availability of mineral and hydrocarbon resources but are also changing global shipping routes.
• According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India can contribute to ensuring the stability of the Arctic.
• The region is of immense geopolitical importance because the Arctic is projected to be ice-free by 2050, with the world powers making a beeline to exploit the region's rich natural resources.

Way Forward

• India's Arctic Policy is timely, and it is anticipated to provide policymakers in India with direction on the contours of India's engagement with the region.
• It is the first step toward developing a comprehensive approach to India's engagement with the region that involves the whole government.
• The Policy is also expected to create awareness about the Arctic in India and vice versa through the conduct of programs, seminars, and events in both India and the Arctic.
• However, India must also appoint officially an 'Arctic ambassador/representative' to represent and voice India's perspectives on Arctic affairs.
• The formation of a dedicated expert committee to plan, monitor, steer, implement, and assess India's Arctic policy may aid in streamlining the country's approach.

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