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16th April 2024 (14 Topics)

Arctic Council

Context

India’s maiden winter expedition at the Arctic have put the focus back on cooperation with Arctic circle countries and related governance architecture.

About Arctic Council
  • The Arctic Council is the leading intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States, Arctic Indigenous Peoples and other Arctic inhabitants on common Arctic issues, in particular on issues of sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic. It was formally established in 1996.
  • All Arctic Council decisions and statements require consensus of the eight Arctic States.
  • The Arctic Council is a high-level intergovernmental body set up in 1996 by the Ottawa declaration to promote cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States together with the indigenous communities and other Arctic inhabitants.
  • Arctic Councilis an intergovernmental forum that addresses issues faced by the Arctic governments and the indigenous people of the Arctic.
  • At present, eight countries exercise sovereignty over the lands within the Arctic Circle.
  • Members of Arctic Council are- Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and United States.
  • Headquarters of Arctic Circle is located at Tromso, Norway.
  • Permanent participants:
    • Aleut International Association (AIA),
    • Arctic Athabaskan Council (AAC)
    • Gwich'in Council International (GCI)
    • Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC)
    • Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPN)
    • Saami Council
  • India has observer status since 2013.

Status of India’s presence in Arctic as of now?

  • India has had a research base in the Arctic since 2008 and also has two observatories in the region.
  • The country presently has a single station, Himadri, in Ny-Alesund, Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago, where research personnel are usually present for 180 days.
  • It is in the process of procuring an ice-breaker research vessel that can navigate the region.
  • India, since 2007, has so far sent 13 expeditions to Arctic and runs 23 active science projects on the region.
  • About 25 universities and institutes in India are involved in Arctic research in India.
  • India has “Observer” status in Arctic Council.

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