India in the Arctic: Legal Framework and Sustainable Approach
India’s Arctic Endeavor: Navigating the Legal Frameworks for a Sustainable Future. Photo: National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR)
India and its relationship to the Arctic dates back to February 1920, when it signed the Svalbard Treaty in Paris. In 2007, India launched its first scientific expedition in order to initiate studies in the field of Arctic microbiology, atmospheric sciences and geology. Subsequently, in 2008, the first Indian Research Station, Himadri, was dedicated to the nation in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard. India is the only developing nation besides China that has an Arctic research base.
In 2014, India’s first multi-sensor moored observatory, IndArc, was deployed in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard. Furthermore, in Gurvebadet India established its northernmost atmospheric laboratory in 2016. Indian researchers are observing Arctic glaciers for their mass balance in order to compare them with Himalayan glaciers. India’s association in the Arctic is a part of the interlinked polar programme consisting of activities in the Arctic, Antarctic and Himalayas.
India’s participation in the Arctic Council as an observer state gives it a chance to explore the Arctic region in order to build its economy, marking its presence in the region. India’s sustainable Arctic policy can benefit the country in various ways. The Northern Sea Route might help India in reduced cost for shipping companies along with time, fuel and security costs for transmitting goods. Meanwhile, China gaining accessibility in the Arctic through the Northern Sea Route might hamper India’s economic growth, keeping in view the relationship between the two countries.
Opinions are divided on India’s involvement in the Arctic due to potential climate change impacts on India’s economy and the world. This concern stems from the Arctic mining for fossil fuels as there is no clear Arctic strategy being formulated yet. Moreover, the potential environmental consequences of Arctic mining underscores the urgency for India to develop a well-defined and sustainable Arctic strategy.
On the other hand, India’s diplomatic and scientific engagement in the Arctic could be beneficial. With a team of knowledgeable environmentalists, India can conduct expeditions and scientific research for sustainable development, ensuring the Arctic remains safe, stable and secure. This approach aligns India’s Act East Policy with countries like Singapore, Japan and Korea, bringing in a new perspective with Asian participation.
Along with China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, India was one of the five Asian countries to receive observer status in the Arctic Council in 2013. India is a member of the Ny-Ålesund Science Managers Committee (NySMAC), the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), and is actively involved in projects with the Arctic Council Working Groups. The University of the Arctic welcomed students from India in 2019. Indian researchers will have more opportunity to take part in various subject courses and research networks relating to the Arctic as a result.1)
India’s policy also emphasizes cooperating with Arctic countries to produce green energy, utilize resources, and expand green and clean industry. India and Denmark have established a green strategic relationship that would see them work together on issues such as waste management, pollution control, green technology, and renewable energy. Private Indian players haven’t made significant investments in the Arctic. The Arctic strategy, however, encourages Indian businesses to apply for membership in the Arctic Economic Council and participate in its five working groups, which include the blue economy, maritime transportation, connectivity, investment and infrastructure, and responsible resource development. Keeping in mind its global responsibilities, the major environmental implications, and the concerns of the indigenous community, India wants to adopt a responsible approach for forming partnerships with Arctic nations in sustainable resource extraction.2)
The Arctic is an important facet for India in terms of its economic development, national development, water security, and sustainable security. Apart from that, agriculture in India is highly dependent on the monsoon, receiving 70 percent of its annual rainfall. Therefore, changes in the Arctic in terms of melting of glaciers will have a huge impact on the economic security of the country due to sea level rise. Furthermore, the atmospheric and oceanic warming effect the summer crops like rice, soya beans, pulses accounting for around 50 percent of the food output of the country. The impact will also be on the sustainability of around 1300 island territories and maritime species due to sea level rise.3)
India’s Arctic Policy is built on six pillars: Science and Research, Climate and Environmental Protection, Economic and Human Development, Transportation and Connectivity, Governance and International Cooperation, and National Capacity Building. The policy aims to strengthen scientific exploration, understand climate change impacts, enhance economic cooperation with the Arctic region, prepare for changes in global shipping routes due to melting ice, strengthen international cooperation, and build national capacities. The goal is to combat climate change, protect the environment, and build a sustainable development partnership involving academia, research community, business, and industry.
Exigency for India’s Arctic Policy and Sustainable Development
India has been closely monitoring events in the Arctic region, particularly in light of the new potential and difficulties brought on by the melting of the Arctic ice cap as a result of global warming. These include, among others, navigation, climatology, energy security, sourcing of strategic minerals, and scientific research. India has a long history of involvement in polar research, participating actively with other members of governance systems, and is becoming more important in world affairs, all of which make it a stakeholder in the region. Currently, India has strategic, commercial, environmental, and scientific interests in the Arctic.4)
Melting Arctic ice also offers opportunities such as energy exploration, mining, food security and shipping. India can contribute to these developments by enhancing accessibility to the Arctic. It’s crucial however, that any exploitation of the Arctic’s resources is done sustainably and in accordance with international best practices.
India has been an active participant in Arctic affairs under the Science and Research category. The current objective is to bolster the existing research base, Himadri, while also aligning Indian research activities with international initiatives. These include the Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System and the Sustaining Arctic Observation Networks, which are joint initiatives of the Arctic Council and the International Arctic Science Committee.5) Apart from that, it seeks to develop bilateral and multilateral projects with Arctic Nations along with other partners under various Arctic fora. India will also work with Arctic nations in order to research and conserve Arctic biodiversity.6) Climate change is a major concern across the globe. As a party to various international treaties and conventions such as the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCC), Paris Agreement and Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), India is at the center of global efforts to fight climate change. As the temperature rises in the Arctic, it is two to three times faster than any other place on Earth.
Monsoon
Although the effects of the changes in the Arctic on global weather, temperature, and ecosystems, including the Indian monsoons, are not yet fully known, it is clear that these changes could have significant implications for climate patterns and biodiversity worldwide. India receives more than 70 percent of its annual precipitation during the monsoon season. The monsoons have a direct impact on India’s agriculture, which provides the main means of support for around 58 percent of the country’s population and contributes about 20 percent to the GDP. Therefore, it is not unexpected that one of the main focuses of the Indian Arctic Programme is to monitor the Arctic fjords and coastal waters over an extended period of time in order to comprehend the effects of climate change and its further connections to phenomena like the Indian monsoon.7)
Rising Sea Level
The amount of Arctic sea ice has decreased by 21 percent and 43 percent, respectively, from 1971 to 2019, and there has been a net loss of land ice across the whole Arctic. India, notably its 1,300 island territories and maritime features, might be directly and significantly impacted by this sea level rise caused by the Arctic land ice melting, raising the water flow into the ocean.8)
Himalayas
Despite their physical separation, the Arctic and the Himalayas are related and have similar problems. The glacier melt in the Himalayas, commonly referred to as the “third pole,” which has the largest freshwater reserves after the North and South poles, is becoming better understood by scientists thanks to scientific research on Arctic ice melt. Additionally, they are the source of some of India’s major rivers, such as the Ganga and Brahmaputra, whose basins are home to about 600 million and 177 million people, respectively, and provide more than 40 percent of India’s GDP. Also, the Indian scientists himalayan research contributes to Arctic research, thereby making it an essential for India.9)
With regards to Economic and Human Development, India’s approach in the Arctic is aimed at achieving sustainable economic development while respecting and valuing the rights of Arctic residents, including indigenous communities. However, specific details about how India’s interaction with these communities is unavailable. Any engagement would need to respect the rights and territories of these communities, ensuring that any economic activities are conducted in a manner that is sustainable and beneficial for these communities.
Mineral Resources and Hydrocarbons
Rich amounts of coal, gypsum, and diamonds are found in the Arctic region. There are also sizable reserves of zinc, lead, placer gold, and quartz. One-fourth of the world’s reserves of rare earth minerals are found in Greenland alone. Additionally, the Arctic is rich in hydrocarbon resources. According to a US Geological Survey (USGS) assessment of the Arctic, the area “may constitute the geographically largest unexplored prospective area for petroleum remaining on Earth” and contains 13 percent of undiscovered oil and 30 percent of undiscovered natural gas. These resources are getting easier to acquire and more practical to harvest as ice melts more rapidly.
India’s development strategy in the Arctic region is supported by the “United Nations Sustainable Development Goals”. In adherence to these goals, India agrees for a sustainable economic growth as mentioned by the Arctic Economic Council.10)
The Arctic region consists of a plethora of unexplored areas of hydrocarbons currently present on the Earth. Besides that, the region also constitutes deposits of minerals such as copper, phosphorus, niobium, platinum group elements and rare earths.11) India will be a great support to Arctic States in order to conduct surveys to access their optimum potential. Whereas, increasing human activity needs to be checked on a regular basis to determine their impact on the environment. India is looking forward to collaborating with Arctic States, strengthening partnerships for sustainably exploring living and non-living resources in the Arctic.12)
Chinese involvement in the region has also significantly increased. Even if none of these topics are addressed in the Arctic strategy, China’s projection of itself as a “Near Arctic state” and its desire in constructing the Polar Silk Road make it impossible to ignore the elephant in the room. Due to its geographical location, India may not have the same interest in the NSR passage, but the country’s Arctic policy recognises the potential of the Arctic Sea route and its potential to replace the conventional Suez Canal route in the future.
India, the third-largest maritime nation, is eager to take part in environmental monitoring and regulation, safety, and capacity building in the ice-covered region because it does not want to miss out on future potential in the area.
The Chennai Vladivostok Maritime Corridor, which crosses the South China Sea, is intended to boost bilateral trade between India and Russia while also limiting China’s influence. By reducing shipping costs and the amount of travel time, the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a multimodal freight corridor, is marketed as a substitute for both the Chinese Polar Silk Road and the Suez Canal route as part of China’s Belt and Road programme. The INSTC is advocated as being necessary for the “overall development of the hinterland and the indigenous communities, more than the East-West connectivity,” according to the Policy. India is aware of how regional and global geopolitics are changing, the current situation brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and how the global political landscape is changing. All these factors will influence the future approach and strategies of India in the region.13)
Conclusion
India’s interest in the Arctic has been multidimensional for many years. These interests are scientific, economic as well as environmental. They are pursued with a sustainable, transparent and responsible approach that is in consonance with international laws and treaties, including United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea.
However, India’s Arctic Policy contains a few gaps such as scientific orientation with an understanding of geopolitics and governance, funding, polar research vessels, awareness & capacity, overall Indian government focus.14) The recent Arctic Policy of India intends to address these gaps as the focus is not only scientific research based but the six pillars of the policy include various other aspects as well.
According to the Policy, allocating the necessary resources will be the basis for the Policy’s execution. It is believed that the expansion of a multidisciplinary approach to the Arctic will significantly increase fiscal support for India’s Arctic scientific initiatives. The goal of purchasing a dedicated ice-class polar research vessel, as stated in the Arctic Policy, will speed up the process and provide India’s Arctic initiative a boost.
The Empowered Arctic Policy Group (EAPG), an inter-ministerial group, will serve as the governance and review mechanism for the implementation of the goals specified in India’s Arctic Policy. The Policy further emphasizes that all pertinent stakeholders, encompassing academia, researchers, businesses, and industry, will be involved in its execution. The implementation will adhere to specific timeframes and prioritize tasks accordingly. This mechanism is expected to enhance India’s strategic, military, and economic interests through comprehensive analysis, forecasting, and a coordinated approach by the Indian government. It will likely lend more coherence to the region’s policies.
In accordance with the “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” ideology, India intends to indigenously develop and plans to engage in the Arctic by establishing a robust institutional, financial, and human foundation. The policy also aims to expand India’s scientific research capabilities and understanding of the Arctic, as well as increase the number of experts in fields relevant to the Arctic, including blue-bioeconomy, mineral, oil and gas exploration, and tourism. The Policy seeks to increase India’s trained manpower in the maritime insurance, chartering, arbitration, and brokerage industries. It also aims to build region-specific hydrographic capacity and strengthen training of seafarers in polar/ice navigation.
There are hopes that India’s Arctic Policy will encourage a larger pool of experts in the government and academia and lead to better awareness of the Arctic in India. It also targets building of broad-ranging institutional capacity on the study of Arctic maritime, legal, environmental, social, policy, and governance issues, including application of UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and other Treaties governing the region.
The larger policy framework of the Indian government and the country’s Arctic strategy are skilfully integrated, intertwined, and complementary. Most crucially, India’s Arctic Policy is inclusive and participatory, offering its readiness to “play its part and contribute to the global good” in line with the country’s civilizational spirit of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”—the world is just one family. Therefore, the publication of India’s Arctic Policy speaks well for both India’s Arctic aspirations and the global community.15)
India’s Implementation of its Arctic Policy must be through an action plan with an effective governance and review mechanism which shall consist of an inter-ministerial Empowered Arctic Policy Group. The implementation shall be based on timeline, prioritising of activities and allotment of necessary resources. Apart from that, the implementation will include all stakeholders: the academia, the research community, and also business and industry.
There is a designated Arctic Ambassador/Point of Contact for each member state of the Arctic Council as well as the majority of the observers. The MEA’s UNES Division is the point of contact for the Arctic Council in the Indian system. Consideration might be given to appointing a special envoy to represent India for Arctic issues. An existing, suitable serving individual could be named, co-terminus with his or her current appointment, rather than needing to be a new appointment. Under the EAPG, a permanent secretariat may be established to coordinate the engagement of the Indian government with the region. Also, along the lines of inter-governmental summits with the African, ASEAN, and Central Asian nations, India may think about holding a summit with the Arctic Council States to raise awareness towards sustainable Arctic development.
Manish Singh is currently working as a Research Officer, Vice Chancellor Office, Rashtriya Raksha University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
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