India is taking a keen interest in the Arctic region because of the recent geo-political developments that are taking place in the Arctic circle. The Arctic ocean and the surrounding areas are speculated to contain a very huge deposit of oil and other valuable industrially useful minerals and ores. Further, the melting ice is opening up new passages in the ocean, permitting ships to travel across the ocean instead of around it. This passage will give trade a ‘steroid like’ boost as the northernmost passage will act as a ‘shortcut’ for ships and pave the way for aircraft movement as well. As of now, Russia and Canada are the dominant countries in the Arctic circle, on account of their size.
India’s engagement with the Arctic dates back to nearly nine decades when it signed the ‘Treaty between Norway, US, Denmark, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Ireland and the British overseas Dominions and Sweden concerning Spitsbergen’ also called the ‘Svalbard Treaty’ in February 1920 in Paris. India has good relations with the countries in the northern temperate and Arctic circle regions.
India launched its first scientific expedition to the Arctic Ocean in 2007 and opened a research base named "Himadri” at the International Arctic Research Base at Ny-Alesund, Svalbard, Norway in July 2008 for carrying out studies in disciplines like Glaciology, Atmospheric sciences & Biological sciences. India has also entered into MOU with Norwegian Polar Research Institute of Norway, for cooperation in science, as also with Kings Bay (A Norwegian Government owned company) at Ny-Alesund for logistic and infrastructure facilities for undertaking Arctic research and maintaining Indian Research base ‘Himadri’ at Arctic region
As of now, the focus of India’s presence in the region is more to do with scientific exploration than economic prospecting but in the near future, it might negotiate a deal with the nordic countries, Russia and Canada to mine for ores and oil in the region.
India is taking a keen interest in the Arctic region because of the recent geo-political developments that are taking place in the Arctic circle. The Arctic ocean and the surrounding areas are speculated to contain a very huge deposit of oil and other valuable industrially useful minerals and ores. Further, the melting ice is opening up new passages in the ocean, permitting ships to travel across the ocean instead of around it. This passage will give trade a ‘steroid like’ boost as the northernmost passage will act as a ‘shortcut’ for ships and pave the way for aircraft movement as well. As of now, Russia and Canada are the dominant countries in the Arctic circle, on account of their size.
ReplyDeleteIndia’s engagement with the Arctic dates back to nearly nine decades when it signed the ‘Treaty between Norway, US, Denmark, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Ireland and the British overseas Dominions and Sweden concerning Spitsbergen’ also called the ‘Svalbard Treaty’ in February 1920 in Paris. India has good relations with the countries in the northern temperate and Arctic circle regions.
India launched its first scientific expedition to the Arctic Ocean in 2007 and opened a research base named "Himadri” at the International Arctic Research Base at Ny-Alesund, Svalbard, Norway in July 2008 for carrying out studies in disciplines like Glaciology, Atmospheric sciences & Biological sciences. India has also entered into MOU with Norwegian Polar Research Institute of Norway, for cooperation in science, as also with Kings Bay (A Norwegian Government owned company) at Ny-Alesund for logistic and infrastructure facilities for undertaking Arctic research and maintaining Indian Research base ‘Himadri’ at Arctic region
As of now, the focus of India’s presence in the region is more to do with scientific exploration than economic prospecting but in the near future, it might negotiate a deal with the nordic countries, Russia and Canada to mine for ores and oil in the region.