Current Affairs Brain Booster for UPSC & State PCS Examination

Topic: Draft Arctic Policy of India

Why in News?

• India has recently released a draft Arctic Policy document in order to solicit public comments.

Arctic Policy and Other Nations

• The Arctic region comprises the Arctic Ocean and parts of countries such as Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Norway, Russia, USA (Alaska), Finland, Sweden and Iceland. These countries together form the core of the Arctic Council, an intergovernmental forum.
• These nations set policy guidelines about their future Arctic interactions and likely developmental goals.
• However, others outside the Arctic, such as EU, UK, Netherlands, China, Korea and Japan have defined guidelines and, in many instances, dedicated departments and ministries to handle Arctic affairs.
• The European nations have report-like policy papers, with large sections dedicated to Arctic research, onboard state-owned polar ice-class vessels, well-manned stations in the Arctic and collaborative drilling and exploration work countries have undertaken, indicative of large financial outlays. The policy papers significantly flag security and political concerns, among other goals. Netherlands and Spain also present a polar outlook, more science-oriented in its approach.
• On the other hand, China presents a white paper, with numbered sections and a conclusion, serving perhaps as an inspiration for India’s draft policy.
• While, Korea and Japan provide succinct summaries, profiling their intent briefly. Unlike Europe, the document in both Korea and Japan have emanated from the ocean-related scientific ministries.

India in Arctic

• India became an Observer in the Arctic Council for the first time in 2013; its membership in that body was renewed for a second five-year term in 2018.
• British India signed the Svalbard Treaty – which, while recognizing Norway’s sovereignty over Spitsbergen, also allowed other signatories free access to the region along with maintaining a commitment to not militarizing it – in 1920.
• Independent India’s engagement with the Arctic started in 2007 with a scientific expedition to the region.
• India now maintains a permanent presence in the region through a research base, Himadri, and two observatories, in Kongsfjorden and Ny Alesund.

Svalbard Treaty

• On February 9, 1920, Norway and eight other countries signed the Svalbard Treaty (originally the Spitsbergen Treaty) in Paris.
• The Treaty entered into force in 1925, and Svalbard became part of the Kingdom of Norway.
• The treaty, now with nearly 50 signatories, sets out that:

• Spitsbergen is under Norwegian administration and legislation.
• Citizens of all signatory nations have free access and the right of economic activities.
• Spitsbergen remains demilitarized. No nation, including Norway, is allowed to permanently station military personnel or equipment on Spitsbergen.

Five Pillars of India’s Arctic Policy

• India’s draft policy draws from Arctic influences on tropical and sub-tropical climate, leveraging Indian monsoon teleconnections with the Arctic as a critical engagement. Greater interest in Arctic science is envisaged to synergise Himalaya centric cryospheric studies too.
• The five pillars of India’s Arctic Policy are:

• Scientific Research;
• Economics and Human Development;
• Connectivity;
• Global Governance and International Cooperation; and Development of Indian Human Resource Capabilities.

Benefits for India

• Arctic research will help India’s scientific community to study melting rates of the third pole – the Himalayan glaciers, which are endowed with the largest freshwater reserves in the world outside the geographic poles.
• India would also like to contribute in ensuring that as the Arctic becomes more accessible, the harnessing of its resources is done sustainably and in consonance with best practices formulated by bodies such as the Arctic Council.