Pranab Mukherjee recently visited Norway and Finland. The visit was believed to be an assertion of India’s willingness to have a strong presence in Arctic Council.
It is a known fact that melting of Arctic Ice is offering both challenges and opportunities for the international community.
Opportunities are in the form of oil and gas deposits, shorter shipping routes. Challenges arise from the adversarial impacts of melting ice, competing territorial claims. Several non-littoral states are seeking to engage themselves in this evolving politico economic strategic dynamics of arctic region. 
History of Arctic Council
- The council was formed in 1991 when the eight Arctic countries signed the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy.
- Formally established in 1996 by The Ottawa Declaration, Arctic Council is an intergovernmental forum for promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction between the Arctic States.
- Members include eight countries – Canada, Denmark/Greenland, Norway, Russia, United States, Iceland, Finland, and Sweden.
- In addition to the member states, observer status is granted to non-arctic states. India, China were given observer status in 2013- Kiruna Declaration.
- Originally, the council’s main focus was to address environmental issues and the concerns of the indigenous people in the region. Global warming, shorter sea route, hydrocarbons prospects have added on to the stakes in the region.The approach adopted by the Arctic Council is to regulate the shipping lanes, hydrocarbons prospecting and the exploitation of marine resource.
- Council members meet biannually. Chairmanship rotates every two years. Currently, Canada holds the chair.
Arctic and India?
- India signed the Svalbard Treaty when it was under British rule in 1920.
- India has shown keen interest in the evolving climate change induced developments in the region. She established a scientific research station Himadri at Ny Alesund .
- By virtue of the Svalbard Treaty, India is a ‘stakeholder’ in the region. It is prudent for New Delhi to forge relationships with the Arctic Council members and Nordic countries , formulate an ‘Arctic Strategy’, undertake resource assessment, exploitation studies and scientific research on climate change.
Arctic Council and India?
- It is in recognition of contribution to Arctic Studies that India was granted observer status to the Arctic Council.
- By accepting observer status, India has recognized the territorial jurisdiction and sovereign rights of the Arctic littoral states and hence their pre-eminent and even pre-emptive role over the Arctic zone. Acceptance of UNCLOS as the governing instrument for the Arctic also implies that the extension of jurisdiction over the continental shelf, maritime passage and the resources of the ocean space i.e. the global commons will lie with the littoral states.
How does India gain from this association?
- Climate change in Arctic causes significant changes in snow conditions, atmospheric and oceanic circulations, with cascading effects on ecosystems in the Arctic and around the world. India must engage with the Arctic Council states on climate change issues. India can use the research for understanding the melting of glaciers in Himalayas and whether the Indian monsoons are affected by it.
- Although India is located in a very different geography, it faces challenges to preserve biodiversity, contain maritime pollution, and preserve fish stocks. India can share expertise in this regard and also learn sustainable development measures.
- As the Arctic Sea opens up, new opportunities for shipping and energy will arise. With rising geopolitical importance of the region, India would benefit from involving in governance issues and tap the energy potential of the region.
What should India strive to do?
- By taking a firm political stand on Lomonosov Ridge issue, and favoring Russia, she can access the deposits of that region and the North Sea route.
- India being a firm believer of equity must try for a global commons approach, and the region being treated in the same manner as Antarctica.
- India and other developing states can put Arctic on the agenda of the ongoing multilateral negotiations on Climate Change under UNFCCC, ensuring that the activities undertaken there do not harm the climate and people.
- The opportunities that the nations seek to exploit and profit from are the very activities which will exacerbate the climate change impact of a warming Arctic. What could be done to restrain this potential ecological catastrophe of global dimensions? Possibly, UN can set up its own Arctic body with strict norms and effective compliance mechanism. India could certainly push for such a global regime without violating its role of Observer at the Arctic Council.
