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Topic: 60th Anniversary Antarctic Treaty

Why in News?

• On 23 June, the 1959 Antarctic Treaty has celebrated its 60th anniversary.

About the Treaty

• The Antarctic Treaty was signed in Washington on 1 December 1959 by the twelve countries whose scientists had been active in and around Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957-58.
• The twelve original signatories are Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the UK and the US.
• It entered into force in 1961 and has since been acceded to by many other nations.
• The total number of Parties to the Treaty is now 54.
• The treaty is remarkably short and contains only 14 articles. Principal provisions include promoting the freedom of scientific research, the use of the continent only for peaceful purposes, and the prohibition of military activities, nuclear tests and the disposal of radioactive waste.

Significance of the Treaty

• It remains the only example of a single treaty that governs a whole continent.
• It is also the foundation of a rules-based international order for a continent without a permanent population.

Treaty about Territorial Claims

• The most important provision of the treaty is Article IV, which effectively seeks to neutralise territorial sovereignty in Antarctica.
• For the Antarctic territorial claimants, this meant a limit was placed on making any new claim or enlargement of an existing claim.
• Likewise, no formal recognition was given to any of the seven territorial claims on the continent, by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom.
• Russia, the United States and China — signatories with significant Antarctic interests who have not formally made territorial claims — are also bound by the limitations of Article IV.
• And one sector of Antarctica is not subject to the claim of any country, which effectively makes it the last unclaimed land on earth.
• The treaty also put a freeze on any disputes between claimants over their territories on the continent.

Indian Atlantic Programme

• The Indian Antarctic expeditions began in 1981.
• The Indian Antarctic programme has now credited to have built three permanent research base stations in Antarctica—named Dakshin Gangotri, Maitri, and Bharati.
• As of today, India has two operational research stations in Antarctica named Maitri and Bharati.
• The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa, manages the entire Indian Antarctic program.