India’s Arctic Policy

India’s Arctic Policy was released on 17 March 2022 by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh. The policy aims to improve the country’s cooperation with the Arctic region through a trust-based partnership. With India's Arctic Policy, the nation is expanding its stake in Arctic research, gas exploration, and sustainable development.

The goal behind this policy is to tackle climate change and utilize resources by involving researchers, environmentalists, and global leaders. In this article, we have shared more about India’s Arctic Policy, its history, and its significance.

India’s Arctic Policy: Overview

India’s Arctic Policy aims to extend scientific research, sustainable tourism, and mineral oil and gas exploration in the Arctic region. This policy draft was open to public feedback on 31 December 2020 to solicit popular opinions. Through India’s Arctic Policy, the country seeks to improve relations with the Arctic region.

India’s Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh released India’s Arctic Policy on 17 March 2022, which was revised after suggestions made to the draft. Learn more about this policy from the information shared below.

Arctic Council

India has had relations with the Arctic since the 1920s when the Svalbard Treaty was signed in Paris. Together, the Arctic Council and India have worked on India’s Arctic Policy for the Arctic region’s sustainable development. The Arctic region comprises five Arctic States and three Arctic Nations.

• The Arctic littoral states include Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Norway, Russia, and the USA (Alaska).
• At the same time, the Arctic nations include Finland, Sweden, and Iceland. The states and the nations together form the Arctic Council.

India’s Draft Arctic Policy

India and the Arctic Council together aim to build a lasting partnership to explore avenues of mineral oil exploration, scientific research, and sustainable development. India’s Draft Arctic Policy was released on 31 December 2020 for the same.

• By opening India’s Draft Arctic Policy to the public, the Government of India ensured transparency in decision-making.
• It opened the public to contribute to the cause by sharing ideas.
• The purpose of India’s Arctic Policy is to catalyze sustainable development in the Arctic region as a preventive measure.

India’s Draft Arctic Policy: Objectives

India's draft Arctic policy aims at promoting the following agenda -

1. Improve and enhance India's capabilities and competencies concerning the scientific exploration, climate and environmental study, and maritime and economic cooperation in the Arctic region.
2. India’s Arctic Policy also aims to develop institutional and human resource capabilities in government, academia, business, and research.
3. Achieving inter-ministerial coordination concerning the Arctic explorations.
4. A crucial aim of India’s Draft Arctic Policy is to understand how climate change in the Arctic region will impact India's climate, economy, and energy security.
5. Improve analysis, forecasting, and policy coordination concerning the impacts of Arctic ice melting on India's economic, military, and strategic interests.
6. Through India’s Arctic Policy, researchers will study how polar regions and the Himalayas are related.
7. Strengthen cooperation and coordination between India and other Arctic countries based on scientific expertise and traditional knowledge.
8. India’s Arctic Policy will strengthen India's position and participation in the Arctic Council.

Impact of India’s Arctic Policy

India’s Arctic Policy aims to impact tourism, sustainability, and development in the Arctic region.

Recent research has found that the temperature of the Arctic region is rising at a rate that is three times faster than that of the rest of the world. This change in the Artic temperatures impacts the global shipping routes and the availability of hydrocarbons.

It is noteworthy that these changes will impact the geopolitical and resource landscape of the world in the coming years. With India’s Arctic Policy, India will attempt to increase accessibility to the Arctic region and will ensure that the resources are harnessed sustainably from the region.

India Arctic Policy: Significance

India’s Draft Arctic Policy was released to expand scientific research, sustainable tourism, and hydrocarbon explorations in the Arctic region. The Arctic region is purposely targeted because the changing temperatures of this region are likely to have a profound impact on the climate, economy, and energy security of India.

Therefore, as a preventive measure, India Draft Arctic Policy to understand the scientific reasons for climate change and unwind the sustainable practices to protect the environment and the region.

FAQs on India’s Arctic Policy

Q1. What is India’s Arctic Policy?

According to India’s Arctic Policy, India will cooperate in scientific research, oil and gas exploration, and sustainable development of the Arctic region. While India’s Arctic Policy was released on 17 March 2022, the draft of the policy was released to the public in December 2020.

Q2. Which Union Minister released India’s Arctic Policy?

India’s Union Minister, Dr. Jitendra Singh released India’s Arctic Policy on 17 March 2022 in New Delhi, India. Through India’s Arctic Policy, India aims to improve relations with the Arctic Council and to work for the sustainable development of the Arctic region.

Q3. What is the title of India’s Arctic Policy?

India’s Arctic Policy is titled “India and the Arctic: Building a Partnership for Sustainable Development.” Sustainable development and management of the climate crisis are the two main agendas of this policy.

Q4. What is the purpose of India's draft Arctic Policy?

The India Draft Arctic Policy seeks to extend scientific research, sustainable tourism, and mineral oil and gas exploration in the Arctic region. India has maintained good relations with the Arctic region and members of the Arctic Council. The country aims to solidify these relations through India’s Arctic Policy.

Q5. Who are members of the Arctic Council?

The Arctic Council comprises five Arctic coastal states of Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Norway, Russia, and the USA (Alaska), and the Arctic nations of Finland, Sweden, and Iceland. The Arctic Council helped India draft India’s Arctic Policy in 2020.