📅 May 5, 2025, Post 5: India’s Quiet Ascent to the Arctic: Strategy, Science, and Sovereignty | Mains Essay Attached | Target IAS-26 MCQs Attached: A complete Package, Dear Aspirants!
India’s Quiet Ascent to the Arctic: Strategy, Science, and Sovereignty
INTERNATIONAL HERO — PETAL 005
🗓️ May 5, 2025
Thematic Focus: Geopolitics 🌐 | Environment & Strategy ❄️ | India’s Foreign Policy
❄️ Opening Whisper
Where the sun sleeps half a year, new powers rise quietly — not with conquest, but with purpose.
Key Highlights
• At the Arctic Circle India Forum 2025, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar highlighted India’s deepening engagement in the Arctic — a region fast transitioning from a scientific frontier to a geopolitical theatre.
• The Arctic region, covering 8 countries, 24 time zones, and 3 continents, includes both ice-free developed zones (Norway, NW Russia) and ice-covered wilderness (Canada, Alaska). Once reserved for scientific cooperation, it is now a contest zone for strategic and economic interests.
• India has had a presence in the Arctic since 2008, when it established the Himadri research station in Svalbard, Norway.
• In 2022, India launched its formal Arctic Policy, shifting from purely scientific goals to strategic and economic considerations in light of worsening Russia-West relations and China-Russia Arctic ties.
• India’s Arctic strategy focuses on:
🔹 Climate research and understanding Arctic’s impact on monsoons and South Asia’s water cycle
🔹 Sustainable development and environmental protection
🔹 Infrastructure access via the Northern Sea Route (NSR)
🔹 Exploring gas, oil, and critical mineral resources
• Strategic vision includes leveraging the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) to connect with the Nordic-Baltic region, offering a non-China-centric trade route.
• The Arctic is now a testbed for India’s multialignment diplomacy — balancing ties with Russia, engaging Nordic states, and expanding its role in global governance frameworks.
🌐 Why the Arctic Matters to India
• Climate Linkages: Arctic melting influences South Asian weather and rising sea levels.
• Energy & Resources: Rich in natural gas, rare earths, and critical minerals.
• Trade Routes: Northern Sea Route could reduce shipping time between Europe and Asia by 40%.
• Geopolitics: Strategic presence counters China’s expanding Arctic reach and enhances India-EU partnerships.
Suggestions and Way Forward
• Go Beyond Science: India must expand its Arctic footprint from science to policy, trade, and diplomacy.
• Leverage Partnerships: Strengthen ties with Nordic countries on digital, green, and infrastructure fronts.
• Balanced Posturing: Navigate Arctic diplomacy without alienating key partners amidst the Russia-Ukraine war.
• Seek Arctic Governance Role: Engage in evolving forums on Arctic governance, shipping laws, and climate protocols.
🧭 GS Paper Mapping
• GS Paper 2 – International Relations
🔹 India’s Arctic Policy & Multialignment
🔹 India-Russia, India-EU, and India-Nordic ties
🔹 Global Commons and Arctic Governance
• GS Paper 1 / 3 – Geography & Environment
🔹 Arctic geography, cryosphere science
🔹 Impact on monsoons, sea-level rise
🔹 Climate diplomacy and sustainability
💭 A Thought Spark — by IAS Monk
As glaciers melt and sea lanes open, the future whispers through the silence of the Arctic. India listens — not to conquer, but to coexist, to contribute, and to shape a new geography of peace.
High Quality Mains Essay For Practice :
Word Limit 1000-1200
India and the Arctic: A Clinching Relationship in the Age of Climate and Geopolitics
Introduction: Where the Cold Meets the Calculated
In the icy expanse of the Arctic, far from India’s warm shores, a silent yet strategic transformation is underway. Once seen as a remote landmass of snow and science, the Arctic has emerged as a frontline of climate change, a hub of energy reserves, and a new arena of geopolitical competition. India — a non-Arctic but climate-vulnerable nation — has gradually cemented its interest and involvement in the region. This evolving relationship is no longer incidental or symbolic; it is clinching, binding together science, strategy, sustainability, and sovereignty.
As the ice thins and trade routes open, India’s engagement with the Arctic reflects its maturing global aspirations — one that transcends geography and embraces a planetary responsibility.
I. Why the Arctic Matters to India
The Arctic, though geographically distant from India, holds multifaceted significance for the country. This includes:
1. Climate Connectivity
The Arctic is not an isolated system; its melting glaciers influence the Indian monsoon, sea-level rise, and broader patterns of global climate disruption. Studying Arctic ice-core data, oceanic circulation, and methane emissions offers insights into South Asia’s water and weather systems.
2. Strategic Access and Trade Corridors
The emergence of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) — a potential maritime shortcut between Europe and Asia — could reduce shipping time by 40%, providing India with an alternative to China-dominated sea lanes.
3. Energy and Mineral Resources
The Arctic holds vast untapped reserves of oil, natural gas, and critical minerals like rare earths, cobalt, and lithium — vital for India’s clean energy transition and technological competitiveness.
4. Geopolitical Balance
As tensions grow between Russia and the West, and China deepens its Arctic footprint, India’s calibrated presence helps balance regional equations while safeguarding its strategic autonomy.
II. The Evolution of India’s Arctic Engagement
India’s Arctic journey can be traced through three broad phases:
🧊 Scientific Exploration (2007–2021)
- India first sent a scientific expedition to the Arctic in 2007.
- In 2008, it established the Himadri Research Station in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard (Norway) — focused on climate studies, glaciology, and atmospheric sciences.
🧭 Policy Formalization (2022)
- India released its Arctic Policy in March 2022, titled “India and the Arctic: Building a Partnership for Sustainable Development”.
- The six pillars included:
1. Science and Research
2. Climate and Environmental Protection
3. Economic and Human Development
4. Transportation and Connectivity
5. Governance and International Cooperation
6. National Capacity Building
🌐 Strategic Expansion (2023 onwards)
- India’s participation in the Arctic Circle Assembly, bilateral dialogues with Nordic nations, and emphasis on sustainable polar cooperation reflects a growing diplomatic and commercial intent.
III. Recent Developments: Clinching the Relationship
At the Arctic Circle India Forum 2025, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s vision for a constructive, climate-conscious Arctic policy. Key takeaways include:
- Strengthening multilateral Arctic governance dialogues
- Expanding India-Nordic strategic partnerships
- Seeking investment in Northern Sea Route infrastructure
- Promoting joint ventures for Arctic mining and shipping
India’s Arctic engagement now blends climate realism with strategic foresight — it recognizes the melting poles not just as scientific curiosities, but as signals of global shift.
IV. Challenges in the Arctic Relationship
Despite India’s growing involvement, challenges persist:
1. Geopolitical Crosswinds
India must navigate Arctic diplomacy without alienating Russia, its energy partner, or Nordic countries, its green allies — especially amid the Ukraine conflict.
2. Observer Status Limitations
India, like China and Japan, holds observer status in the Arctic Council. While it allows participation, it does not grant decision-making rights.
3. Technological and Logistical Gaps
India’s polar logistics, ice-class shipping, and polar research vessels are underdeveloped compared to Arctic nations.
4. Environmental Sensitivities
Greater Arctic engagement must not compromise India’s climate credibility. Over-extraction or carbon-heavy investments may backfire diplomatically.
V. The Way Forward: A Responsible Arctic Power
India’s Arctic vision must balance ambition with caution, science with strategy. Key recommendations include:
✅ Strengthening Scientific Collaboration
- Expand climate research with Arctic institutions
- Invest in glaciology, oceanography, and AI-powered Arctic models
✅ Deepening Strategic Alliances
- Engage Nordic and Baltic states for joint Arctic initiatives
- Use platforms like Arctic Circle Assembly and UN Law of the Sea to shape norms
✅ Developing Maritime Infrastructure
- Partner with Russia and Norway on Northern Sea Route logistics
- Integrate Arctic shipping with Chabahar Port and INSTC
✅ Polar Capacity Building
- Commission India’s own icebreaker vessels and polar satellites
- Create a Polar Affairs Division within the Ministry of External Affairs
✅ Lead with Ethics and Sustainability
- Promote eco-friendly Arctic exploration
- Ensure equity, transparency, and indigenous rights protection in Arctic ventures
Conclusion: From the Tropics to the Tundra, India Listens
India’s Arctic journey is more than geographic outreach — it is a statement of intent. As a climate-vulnerable nation with global responsibilities, India seeks not dominion in the Arctic, but partnership, science-based engagement, and a role in shaping fair governance for this last frontier.
As the ice caps recede, revealing both opportunity and risk, India’s relationship with the Arctic becomes clinching — not out of necessity, but wisdom. In the age of climate crisis and multipolarity, India must be where decisions are made — even at the ends of the Earth.
Quote to End With
“What happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic. And India, though far away, knows this better than most.” — IAS Monk
Target IAS-26: Daily MCQs :
📌 Prelims Practice MCQs
Topic:
MCQ 1 – Type 1: How many of the below statements are correct?
Q. Consider the following statements regarding India’s engagement in the Arctic region:
• 1) India established its first permanent Arctic research station, Himadri, in the year 2008.
• 2) India’s Arctic Policy includes focus areas like environmental protection, climate research, and sustainable development.
• 3) India currently holds permanent membership in the Arctic Council, giving it full voting rights.
• 4) India seeks to integrate Arctic trade through the Northern Sea Route (NSR) with the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
Options:
A) Only two
B) Only three
C) All four
D) Only one
🌀 Didn’t get it? Click here (▸) for the Correct Answer & Explanation
✅ Correct Answer: B) Only three
🧠 Explanation:
• 1) ✅ Correct – India set up the Himadri research station in Svalbard, Norway, in 2008.
• 2) ✅ Correct – India’s 2022 Arctic Policy emphasizes climate science, sustainable development, and environmental protection.
• 3) ❌ Incorrect – India is an Observer, not a permanent member, in the Arctic Council and has no voting rights.
• 4) ✅ Correct – India plans to link NSR with the INSTC, enhancing connectivity with Russia and the Nordic-Baltic region.
✅ So, only statements 1, 2, and 4 are correct.
MCQ 2 – Type 2: Two Statement Based
Q. Consider the following statements:
• 1) The Arctic region spans three continents and includes both ice-covered and ice-free territories.
• 2) Changes in the Arctic have no measurable impact on the Indian monsoon system or sea levels.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
A) Only 1 is correct
B) Only 2 is correct
C) Both are correct
D) Neither is correct
🌀 Didn’t get it? Click here (▸) for the Correct Answer & Explanation
✅ Correct Answer: A) Only 1 is correct
🧠 Explanation:
• 1) ✅ Correct – The Arctic spans 3 continents (Europe, Asia, North America) and includes diverse terrains like ice-free Norway and ice-locked Canada/Alaska.
• 2) ❌ Incorrect – Arctic melting does affect the Indian monsoon and sea levels, making it climatically connected to South Asia.
✅ Hence, only Statement 1 is correct.
MCQ 3 – Type 3: Which of the statements is/are correct?
Q. Which of the following are part of India’s strategic vision for Arctic engagement?
• 1) Advancing scientific research to understand polar climate dynamics.
• 2) Promoting polar tourism as an economic goal.
• 3) Partnering with Nordic countries for sustainable infrastructure and digital cooperation.
• 4) Expanding India’s naval footprint in the Arctic Ocean.
Options:
A) 1, 2, and 3 only
B) 1 and 3 only
C) 2 and 4 only
D) All four
🌀 Didn’t get it? Click here (▸) for the Correct Answer & Explanation
✅ Correct Answer: B) 1 and 3 only
🧠 Explanation:
• 1) ✅ Correct – Scientific research is a key pillar of India’s Arctic Policy.
• 2) ❌ Incorrect – India’s Arctic strategy does not prioritize polar tourism.
• 3) ✅ Correct – India has held multiple dialogues with Nordic nations focusing on sustainability, digitalization, and Arctic infrastructure.
• 4) ❌ Incorrect – India has no stated naval ambitions in the Arctic, and military activity is discouraged under Arctic cooperation frameworks.
✅ So, only 1 and 3 are correct.
MCQ 4 – Type 4: Direct Fact
Q. Where is India’s Arctic research station ‘Himadri’ located?
A) Greenland
B) Svalbard, Norway
C) Reykjavik, Iceland
D) Tromsø, Norway
🌀 Didn’t get it? Click here (▸) for the Correct Answer & Explanation.
✅ Correct Answer: B) Svalbard, Norway
🧠 Explanation:
• India’s Himadri Station was established in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard (an Arctic archipelago governed by Norway) in 2008. It is used for glaciology, climate, and atmospheric research.
• It is not located in mainland Norway or Iceland.
✅ This is a high-yield factual question for Prelims.
