Exploring opportunities for Arctic collaboration with Norway

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India is turning its gaze towards the Arctic with increasing curiosity and strategic interest. As the effects of climate change reshape the global landscape, the once-remote Arctic region has emerged as a critical area for scientific research and economic opportunities. India, although geographically distant from the Arctic Circle, is making notable strides in establishing its presence and contributing to the exploration and understanding of this remote frontier.

In December 2023, Indian scientists conducted their maiden winter expedition at Himadri, India’s permanent research station in the Arctic. The expedition team comprised a diverse group of researchers from the National Centre for Oceanic and Polar Research (NCPOR), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi; Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune; and Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru. After a period of acclimatisation in Oslo, the team embarked on an endeavour that would test their physical endurance, scientific acumen, and resilience in the face of extreme conditions. Their objective was a comprehensive study of Arctic biodiversity, glaciology, oceanography, and atmospheric phenomena to yield insights into the dynamics of the Arctic ecosystem and the complex interplay between climate change and environmental processes.

India, although geographically distant from the Arctic Circle, is making notable strides in establishing its presence and contributing to the exploration and understanding of this remote frontier.

Scientific research, however, is only one reason for India’s growing interest in Arctic affairs. New Delhi is seized of the opening up of Arctic sea routes—primarily the Northern Sea Route—and is keen to route Indian trade through the region.

Indian policymakers reckon the Northern Sea Route could help India reduce shipping company costs, as well as time, fuel, and security costs for transporting goods. India’s participation in the Arctic Council as an observer state gives it a chance to engage with the Council’s working groups, to the benefit of both Arctic people and the global community.

Another significant driver of India's interest in the Arctic is geopolitics. The rapid expansion of China's investments in the Arctic has sparked concerns in New Delhi, where many view Beijing's increasing presence in the region with unease. Russia's decision to grant China expanded access to the Northern Sea Route has further amplified Indian anxieties regarding Chinese activities in the Arctic. New Delhi’s growing focus on the Arctic coincides with heightened tensions in the region, driven by the Russia-Ukraine conflict since early 2022 and exacerbated by the suspension of various regional cooperative forums. There are apprehensions about the potential implications of these tensions, particularly given Russia's growing dependence on its nuclear deterrent on the Kola Peninsula. For India, which seeks to maintain constructive relations with both Western countries and Russia, these developments have significant strategic implications.

To be sure, India's involvement in the Arctic is not recent. Since signing the Svalbard Treaty in Paris in February 1920, India has been actively engaged in the region. In 2007, India embarked on its inaugural research mission to explore Arctic microbiology, atmospheric sciences, and geology. The following year saw the establishment of ‘Himadri’, India's first research station on Norway's Svalbard island, making India the sole developing nation, alongside China, to possess an Arctic research base. Since then, India's presence in the Arctic has steadily grown. After receiving ‘observer’ status from the Arctic Council in 2013, India set up a multi-sensor moored observatory in 2014, followed by an atmospheric laboratory in 2016. These facilities are dedicated largely to monitoring Arctic ice systems and glaciers, as well as investigating the implications of Arctic melting on the Himalayas and the Indian monsoon.

Within India's academic and policy circles, opinions are split over the potential economic impacts of Arctic climate change.

Even so, the question of India's engagement in the Arctic remains divisive. Within India's academic and policy circles, opinions are split over the potential economic impacts of Arctic climate change. Much of the concern revolves around the prospect of mining for fossil fuels in the region, an area for which New Delhi has yet to formulate a clear strategy. Proponents of economic exploitation in the Arctic advocate for a pragmatic approach, particularly regarding oil and gas exploration and mining. Sceptics, however, draw attention to the potential environmental repercussions, emphasising the need for a more balanced policy framework that acknowledges the adverse aspects of maritime resource exploitation.

Potential India-Norway Cooperation

Norway, the current chair of the Arctic Council, shares a close relationship with India. Since the late 1980s, the two nations have collaborated to study the changing conditions in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions and their impact on South Asia. Over the years, this partnership has strengthened, particularly as the effects of climate change increasingly affect the Arctic and the South Asian monsoon.

India's current policy emphasises cooperation with Arctic countries in green energy and environmentally friendly industries, aiming to bolster its reputation as a responsible stakeholder. Collaborative efforts between India and Denmark, as well as Finland, have focused on areas such as waste management, pollution control, green technology, and renewable energy. It is with Norway, however, that many see the potential for a transformative partnership, especially in enabling greater Indian participation in the Arctic Council's working groups. This collaboration could help India address various issues, including the blue economy, maritime transportation, connectivity, investment, and infrastructure, and responsible resource development. Moreover, it could provide clarity to India regarding the boundaries of seabed mining and resource exploitation in the Arctic.

India's commitment to sustainable extraction practices in the Arctic is evident, given its understanding of the interconnectedness between the Arctic's natural environment and India's monsoon climate systems. Evidence suggests that changes in the Arctic climate are affecting the spread and intensity of the monsoon, which is crucial for Indian agriculture. Additionally, the melting ice at the North Pole poses challenges for coastal communities in India and other Indian Ocean states.

India's commitment to sustainable extraction practices in the Arctic is evident, given its understanding of the interconnectedness between the Arctic's natural environment and India's monsoon climate systems.

While a partnership with Norway in the Arctic is likely to focus primarily on scientific research and climate and environmental protection, these are just two of the six pillars outlined in India's Arctic Policy, announced in March 2022. The other four pillars include economic development, transportation and connectivity, governance, international cooperation, and national capacity building. India may still seek to explore economic opportunities in the Arctic, and Norway could assist New Delhi in designing a sustainable policy that balances the needs of both the scientific community and industry. Given the mounting geopolitical tensions in the Arctic, finding constructive and non-sensitive ways to alleviate pressure will also be in the interest of both India and Norway.

It's worth highlighting that India's growing interest in the Arctic arises from a combination of scientific, geopolitical, and environmental factors. New Delhi’s Arctic regional initiatives reflect a desire to contribute to climate research, nurture diplomatic and economic ties with Arctic states, and establish itself as a responsible regional stakeholder. With ongoing rapid changes in the Arctic, India's involvement offers the potential to encourage cooperation, enhance scientific understanding, and protect the vulnerable ecosystem of the Far North.

Abhijit Singh is a Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation

Andreas Østhagen is a Senior Researcher at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute and an Associate Professor at High North Center at Nord University Business School.

• International Affairs
• China
• European Union
• India
• Russia and Eurasia
• Arctic
• Arctic Council
• China
• Climate Change
• economic impacts
• fossil fuels
• Geopolitics
• Himadri
• India
• Northern Sea Route
• Norway
• Russia
• scientific research
• Svalbard Treaty
• tensions

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