Given the ongoing geopolitical contestations and the current state of Norway’s relations with Russia, Norway may not be able to fully realise the ambitious agenda for its upcoming presidency of the Arctic Council.
Anurag Bisen replies: Global warming impacting geo-politics is very much evident in the radically transformed Arctic region, which is warming four times faster than other parts of Earth. Arctic’s ice meltdown and its geographical location is likely to transform global maritime commerce and also opens up possibilities of extraction of huge potential oil and gas and other mineral resources, and expanded fishing and tourism in the Arctic.
The Ukraine crisis, shifting geopolitical alliances in the Indo-Pacific and Western-imposed economic sanctions on Russia have strengthened China–Russia cooperation in the Arctic.
India needs to strengthen its existing bilateral relations with all the Arctic countries and continue to re-emphasize its call for peaceful resolution of Arctic disputes.
Non-Traditional Security Centre replies: India published its first Arctic Policy document on 17 March 2022. The document highlights India’s near and long-term national objectives for the Arctic. From a theoretical perspective, it can be argued that India’s Arctic Policy calls for advancing ‘science diplomacy’ through which it seeks to strengthen and advance its existing cooperation with all the Arctic states.
Russia’s new maritime doctrine, the first policy document in Russia’s national security domain since the Ukraine conflict, reveals a bolder and more assertive Russia, and presents several opportunities for cooperation with India.
Norway’s Priorities for its Arctic Council Chairship 2023–2025
Given the ongoing geopolitical contestations and the current state of Norway’s relations with Russia, Norway may not be able to fully realise the ambitious agenda for its upcoming presidency of the Arctic Council.