India’s Arctic Policy is the framework, released by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in March 2022 under the title “India and the Arctic: building a partnership for sustainable development”, that sets out how India will pursue science, environmental protection, economic cooperation and international engagement in the Arctic region. The policy builds on more than a decade and a half of Indian polar research, which began with a first Arctic expedition in 2007 and the opening of the Himadri research station at Ny-Alesund, Svalbard, in 2008.
India has no Arctic territory, yet it follows the region closely because changes in Arctic ice, ocean and atmosphere can affect the Indian monsoon, coastal areas and global climate. India’s engagement with the Arctic is therefore grounded mainly in scientific research, supported since 2013 by India’s Observer status on the Arctic Council.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Policy name | India and the Arctic: building a partnership for sustainable development |
| Released | March 2022 |
| Issuing ministry | Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India |
| Policy structure | Six pillars covering science, environment, economy, connectivity, governance and capacity |
| Research station | Himadri, at Ny-Alesund in Svalbard, Norway, set up in 2008 |
| Arctic Council status | Observer since 2013 |
| Legal basis for access | Svalbard Treaty of 1920, to which India is a party |
| Implementing institution | National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa |
Key Takeaways
- India’s Arctic Policy was released by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in March 2022 and is organised around six pillars.
- India set up the Himadri research station at Ny-Alesund in Svalbard in 2008, giving India a permanent base in one of the world’s most studied Arctic research settlements.
- India has been an Observer on the Arctic Council since 2013, which allows participation in working groups but not in decision-making.
- India’s right to conduct research in Svalbard rests on the Svalbard Treaty of 1920, which gives its parties equal rights to scientific activity there.
- The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) in Goa coordinates India’s Arctic, Antarctic and Himalayan polar research.
- Indian scientists study links between Arctic sea ice, ocean conditions and the Indian summer monsoon, which is why a melting Arctic matters to India.
What is India’s Arctic Policy?
India’s Arctic Policy is a government document that defines India’s objectives and approach to the Arctic region, released by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) in March 2022. It is the first formal statement of India’s Arctic strategy and brings together research, environmental, economic and diplomatic interests into one framework.
The policy states that India’s engagement is shaped by the region’s links with the Indian climate, by its potential for sustainable development and by the importance of a stable, rules-based Arctic. It aims to strengthen India’s scientific and economic cooperation with Arctic countries, and to build national expertise in polar science, shipping, resources and governance.
The policy does not assert any territorial or resource claim. It describes India as a responsible partner that respects the legal framework governing the region, including the Svalbard Treaty and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and that supports cooperation among Arctic states and other stakeholders.
What are the six pillars of India’s Arctic Policy?
The six pillars of India’s Arctic Policy are science and research; climate and environmental protection; economic and human development; transportation and connectivity; governance and international cooperation; and national capacity building. Together they translate India’s broad interests into specific areas of work.
| Pillar | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Science and research | Expanding research on the cryosphere, ocean, atmosphere and biodiversity, and building scientific partnerships |
| Climate and environmental protection | Monitoring climate change, supporting environmental conservation and studying links with Indian weather |
| Economic and human development | Exploring sustainable economic cooperation, including resources and tourism, with attention to Arctic communities |
| Transportation and connectivity | Understanding Arctic shipping routes, ports and logistics that may reshape global trade |
| Governance and international cooperation | Participating in Arctic Council activities and supporting rules-based governance |
| National capacity building | Developing Indian expertise, institutions, polar infrastructure and public awareness |
Each pillar is meant to be pursued by a range of Indian institutions, including research bodies, universities, public sector enterprises and industry, coordinated by MoES. The policy also proposes forming inter-ministerial mechanisms to monitor progress.
Why does India have an interest in the Arctic?
India has an interest in the Arctic because processes in the polar north affect the Indian monsoon, sea level, climate patterns and global trade, even though India lies far from the Arctic Circle. Indian policymakers describe the Arctic and the Himalaya as connected parts of the cryosphere, with the Himalayan glacier region sometimes called the Third Pole.
India’s Arctic interests fall into several groups:
- Climate and monsoon: changes in Arctic sea ice and atmospheric circulation may influence weather patterns over the Indian subcontinent.
- Sea-level rise: melting Arctic land ice, particularly in Greenland, adds to global sea level, which matters for India’s long coastline and low-lying deltas.
- Science: the Arctic is a natural laboratory for studying polar processes that are comparable to those in the Himalaya.
- Economy and trade: new shipping routes and resources could affect energy security and global supply chains.
- Diplomacy: a voice in Arctic discussions helps India take part in rule-making for a region of growing global importance.
What is the Himadri research station?
Himadri is India’s permanent Arctic research station, located at Ny-Alesund on the island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago of Norway, and it was inaugurated in 2008. Himadri is situated in the International Arctic Research Base at Ny-Alesund, which hosts research stations of several countries.
Ny-Alesund lies in Kongsfjorden, roughly 1,200 km from the North Pole, and is often described as one of the northernmost permanent civilian settlements in the world. The village is used almost entirely as a research base. Because many nations operate stations in the same small community, scientists benefit from shared logistics, clean-air facilities and opportunities for collaboration.
What the station does
- It offers laboratory space and accommodation for visiting Indian scientists during research seasons.
- It supports studies of glaciers, snow, atmospheric chemistry, ocean and fjord conditions, and Arctic biology.
- It hosts instruments for long-term observation, including atmospheric monitoring tools.
India also maintains a multi-sensor ocean observatory called IndARC in Kongsfjorden, first deployed in 2014, which records ocean temperature, salinity and currents in the fjord and helps researchers study how the Arctic Ocean responds to climate change. The overall research effort is managed by the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR).
How did India gain a place on the Arctic Council?
India gained Observer status on the Arctic Council in 2013, when the Council admitted a group of non-Arctic states at its ministerial meeting in Kiruna, Sweden. India was admitted alongside China, Japan, Italy, South Korea and Singapore.
The Arctic Council is the leading intergovernmental forum for Arctic issues, established in 1996 by the Ottawa Declaration. Its eight member states are Canada, Denmark (through Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States. Indigenous peoples’ organisations take part as Permanent Participants.
What Observer status allows
- Observers can attend Council meetings and contribute to the work of its working groups, which deal with topics such as pollution, biodiversity, and emergency response.
- Observers do not vote and do not decide policy; decisions are made by the member states with the Permanent Participants.
- Observers are expected to respect the Council’s framework, including the sovereign rights of Arctic states and the interests of Indigenous peoples.
India’s Observer status was a recognition of its scientific contributions and its stated willingness to cooperate. India is also expected to renew and demonstrate its contribution to the Council’s work over time.
What is the Svalbard Treaty and why does it matter to India?
The Svalbard Treaty is an international agreement signed in Paris on 9 February 1920 that recognises Norway’s sovereignty over the Svalbard archipelago while granting the parties equal rights to access, residence and economic activity there. The treaty came into force in 1925, and India took part in it as a party in the 1920s as British India.
The treaty matters to India because it allows nationals of parties to conduct scientific research and certain commercial activities in Svalbard on a non-discriminatory basis. It also demilitarises the archipelago, limiting its use for warlike purposes. This legal basis explains why India, a non-Arctic country, could establish Himadri in Norwegian territory.
Svalbard is therefore an unusual case among Arctic locations, because it is open to many countries’ researchers under Norwegian law and the treaty framework. Indian scientists operating there must follow Norwegian environmental and safety regulations, and the research is coordinated with other international teams at Ny-Alesund.
What does India research in the Arctic?
India researches the Arctic mainly through the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), which studies glaciers, sea ice, the atmosphere, ocean systems and biology. The first Indian scientific expedition to the Arctic took place in 2007, followed by the establishment of Himadri in 2008 and regular expeditions since then.
Main research themes
- Glaciology: measuring the mass balance and retreat of Arctic glaciers, such as those near Ny-Alesund, to understand how glaciers respond to warming. Results are compared with observations from Himalayan glaciers.
- Atmospheric science: studying aerosols, black carbon and trace gases that travel to the Arctic and influence its climate.
- Ocean and sea-ice studies: monitoring fjord and Arctic Ocean conditions, including through the IndARC observatory.
- Climate links: testing how sea-ice loss and changes in the Arctic may be connected with the strength and variability of the Indian summer monsoon.
- Biology and ecosystems: examining Arctic microbes, plants and marine life to understand ecosystem responses and adaptation.
Much of this research is carried out jointly with partners from Norway and other countries. NCPOR operates under the Ministry of Earth Sciences and is based in Goa, where it also manages India’s Antarctic programme.
Why does a melting Arctic matter for India?
A melting Arctic matters for India because it can influence monsoon rainfall, raise sea levels along Indian coasts and open new shipping and resource opportunities that affect trade and energy security. The Arctic has warmed faster than the global average in recent decades, and its sea ice and glaciers have declined.
Climate and monsoon
Research suggests that changes in Arctic sea ice may alter atmospheric circulation, which in turn can affect weather patterns across the Northern Hemisphere. Indian scientists are investigating whether these changes also affect the timing and strength of the summer monsoon, on which agriculture and water supplies depend. The scientific picture is still developing, which is one reason sustained observation is a priority.
Sea level and coasts
Melting land ice from Greenland and Arctic glaciers contributes to global sea-level rise. For India, with a coastline of several thousand kilometres and densely populated coastal cities, this has direct implications for flooding, erosion and saltwater intrusion.
Shipping and resources
As ice retreats, Arctic shipping routes such as the Northern Sea Route may become navigable for longer periods, potentially shortening journeys between Asia and Europe. The Arctic also holds significant energy and mineral resources. Opportunities of this kind carry environmental and legal complexities, and India’s policy stresses sustainable and rules-based use rather than rapid extraction.
What are the challenges and criticisms of India’s Arctic approach?
India’s Arctic approach faces challenges that include limited polar infrastructure, a small number of dedicated research vessels and icebreakers, competition for influence from other non-Arctic states and the political sensitivities of an increasingly strategic region. Observers also debate how far a country without Arctic territory should shape governance there.
- Capacity: India has a long Antarctic record but a shorter Arctic one, and building ice-capable ships and trained personnel takes time.
- Geopolitics: Arctic cooperation is influenced by wider tensions among major powers, which can limit what forums such as the Arctic Council can deliver.
- Environmental balance: increased shipping and resource activity risks harming a fragile ecosystem and the lives of Indigenous peoples.
- Public awareness: the Arctic is far from Indian daily life, so building understanding of its relevance requires education and outreach.
Timeline of India’s Arctic engagement
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1920 | Svalbard Treaty signed in Paris, later giving parties equal research rights in Svalbard |
| 1996 | Arctic Council established by the Ottawa Declaration |
| 2007 | First Indian scientific expedition to the Arctic |
| 2008 | Himadri research station opened at Ny-Alesund, Svalbard |
| 2013 | India granted Observer status on the Arctic Council |
| 2014 | IndARC multi-sensor ocean observatory deployed in Kongsfjorden |
| 2022 | India’s Arctic Policy released by the Ministry of Earth Sciences |
Bottom Line
India’s Arctic Policy turns more than a decade of scientific presence into a structured strategy built on six pillars, with the Himadri station, Observer status on the Arctic Council and the Svalbard Treaty as its practical foundations. The central reason for India’s interest is climate, since what happens to Arctic ice and oceans can affect Indian monsoons and coasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was India’s Arctic Policy released?
India’s Arctic Policy was released in March 2022 by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. It is titled “India and the Arctic: building a partnership for sustainable development”. It is the first formal statement of India’s Arctic strategy and is built on six pillars.
What are the six pillars of India’s Arctic Policy?
The six pillars are science and research; climate and environmental protection; economic and human development; transportation and connectivity; governance and international cooperation; and national capacity building. These pillars guide India’s research, diplomacy and economic interests in the Arctic. The Ministry of Earth Sciences coordinates their implementation.
Where is India’s Himadri research station located?
Himadri is located at Ny-Alesund on the island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago of Norway. It was set up in 2008 within the international research base at Ny-Alesund. The station supports Indian studies on glaciers, the atmosphere, oceans and Arctic ecosystems.
Is India a member of the Arctic Council?
No, India is not a member of the Arctic Council but has been an Observer since 2013. Only the eight Arctic states are full members. As an Observer, India can attend meetings and contribute to working groups but does not take part in decision-making.
Why can India do research in Svalbard if it is not an Arctic country?
India can do research in Svalbard because it is a party to the Svalbard Treaty of 1920, which gives all parties equal rights to scientific and certain commercial activities there. The treaty recognises Norwegian sovereignty over the archipelago. Indian researchers follow Norwegian laws and regulations while working there.
Why does the Arctic matter to the Indian monsoon?
The Arctic matters to the Indian monsoon because changes in Arctic sea ice and atmospheric circulation may influence weather patterns over South Asia. Indian scientists, mainly through NCPOR, are studying these links. The science is still developing, so continuous observation in the Arctic remains a research priority.
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