Antarctica Treaty and India

Context

• India is drafting a dedicated Antarctica policy and a law to have a clear policy on the consequences of its activities in the region.
• Dakshin Gangotri, has weakened and become just a supply base. A committee that includes Biman Patel, Vice-Chancellor, Gujarat National Law University, has been asked to draft the new ‘Antarctica law.’
• The Antarctica treaty is framed to ensure that Antarctica shall continue to used exclusively for peaceful purposes and not become an object of international discord.

India on the Antarctic Treaty

• The Indian Antarctic Programme is a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional programme under the control of the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.
• Under the programme, atmospheric, biological, earth, chemical, and medical sciences are studied by India, which has carried out 35 scientific expeditions to the Antarctic till now.
• The programme was initiated in 1981 with the first Indian expedition to Antarctica, a huge geo-political achievement. Dr. S Z Qasim, Secretary of Department of Environment and former Director of NIO was selected as the leader of the 21-member team.