Introduction to India & Arctic

1. Globalization of the Arctic & India
Arctic – storehouse of untapped natural resources- one of the
last physically undisturbed marine spaces on earth
1
Venkata Krishnan
Visit: http://pdpu.ac.in/cce/
Courtesy:
https://pame.is/index.php/projects/arctic-marine-shipping
http://www.ncaor.gov.in/arctics
http://mea.gov.in/in-focus-
article.htm?21812/India+and+the+Arctic

2. Why in NEWS?
• Undergoing historic transformation
• Thinning, extent reduction in all seasons and substantial reductions in the
area of multi-year ice in the central Arctic Ocean
2
Venkata Krishnan Visit:
http://pdpu.ac.in/cce/

3. What Challenges to Arctic?/Why Changes will
be in Arctic?
• High commodity prices and a growing worldwide
demand for resources
• Increasing regional and coastal marine transport to
support the exploration and extraction of oil, gas and
hard minerals
• Increasing presence of the global marine tourism
industry
• Climate change - Arctic may experience nearly ice
free summers as early as 2030’s
3
Venkata Krishnan Visit:
http://pdpu.ac.in/cce/

4. What Future?
Arctic Council- unprecedented levels of cooperation among the eight Arctic
states -
The United States , Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark (including Greenland
and the Faroe Islands), Iceland, Finland,, Norway, Sweden and Russia.
Engagement with many non-Arctic stakeholders - Thirteen Non-arctic States
have been approved as Observers to the Arctic Council: including India (From
2013)
4
Venkata Krishnan Visit:
http://pdpu.ac.in/cce/

5. India in Arctic
India Signed Svalbard Treaty’ in 1920
Commenced Arctic research in 2008- The Indian station 'Himadri' -
Norwegian Arctic, (Ny-Ålesund Island) Svalbard;
Research in
Atmospheric- Tele-connections between the Arctic climate and the Indian
monsoon , effect of global warming in the northern polar region
Biological - Assessment of the flora and fauna of the Arctic
and also research in Marine, Earth sciences & Glaciological studies
India believes that, it has expertise in this area
from its association with the Antarctic Treaty
System can play a constructive role in securing
a stable Arctic.
1
Venkata Krishnan
Visit: http://pdpu.ac.in/cce/