What is the Arctic Council and how is India engaging with it?

First Post

05-05-2025

At the Arctic Circle India Forum, Norway praised India's growing role in Arctic affairs, spotlighting collaborative research in Svalbard and India's active observer status in the Arctic Council read more
An iceberg floats in front of the city of Nuuk as the sun rises, Greenland, February 9, 2025. File Image/Reuters
The Arctic Circle India Forum, held in New Delhi on May 3–4, 2025, put a spotlight on India's growing engagement with Arctic affairs.
As climate change accelerates and the need for geopolitical collaboration increases, understanding the Arctic Council's structure, achievements and India's role has become increasingly pertinent.
What is the Arctic Council
Established in 1996 through the Ottawa Declaration, 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, particularly sustainable development and environmental protection.
The Council comprises eight Member States: Canada, Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. In addition to these, six organisations representing Arctic Indigenous Peoples have status as Permanent Participants.
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An image of the Arctic Council Flags from the first SAO meeting during the US 2015-2017 Chairmanship held in Anchorage, Alaska 20-22 October. Image/ArcticCouncil
A unique feature of the Arctic Council is its consensus-based decision-making process, ensuring that all Member States and Permanent Participants have a voice in shaping the Council's direction.
How the Arctic Council functions
The Chairmanship of the Arctic Council rotates every two years among the eight Member States. The country holding the Chairmanship leads the Council's work, sets priorities and hosts meetings.
As of 2023, Norway holds the Chairmanship, focusing on promoting stability and constructive cooperation in the Arctic. In 2025, the Kingdom of Denmark, including Greenland, is set to assume the Chairmanship.
Greenland appointed its first Arctic ambassador last month. Speaking at the event, Kenneth Høegh, Arctic Ambassador, Kingdom of Denmark said, 'The Kingdom consists of 3 countries, but also 3 different governments and different peoples.'
"The Kingdom consists of 3 countries, but also 3 different governments and different peoples."
"All our Chairship priorities have a focus on #Indigenous peoples and Indigenous knowledge" @kenneth_egh, Next Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials,@ArcticCouncil #Indiaforum pic.twitter.com/jOIPvKqUyE — Arctic Circle (@_Arctic_Circle) May 3, 2025
Høegh's comments come as Greenland has been pushed into the spotlight by United States President Donald Trump who has time and again spoken about 'acquiring' the region.
'The Arctic seas are of great importance to the peoples of the Arctic, including us in Greenland and our Faroese friends,' Høegh said in the opening session of the event.
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Key achievements of the Arctic Council
Over the years, the Arctic Council has facilitated several significant accomplishments. The Council's scientific assessments have contributed to global environmental agreements, such as the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
The Council has also negotiated three legally binding agreements among the Arctic States:
The Council actively incorporates Indigenous Peoples' traditional knowledge into its work, recognising its value in addressing climate change, environmental pollution and socio-economic challenges.
What is India's role in the Arctic Council
India was granted Observer status in the Arctic Council in 2013, alongside five other nations. As an Observer, India participates in Council meetings and contributes to its work, particularly through scientific research and collaboration.
India's engagement in the Arctic is driven by several factors:
India's National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) conducts studies on the Arctic's impact on the Indian monsoon and climate patterns.
The melting Arctic opens new maritime routes, such as the Northern Sea Route, which could significantly reduce shipping time between Europe and Asia, benefiting India's trade.
India advocates for inclusive and cooperative governance in the Arctic, pointing out the importance of multilateralism and respect for international law.
Norway praises India's engagement in the Arctic
Speaking to Firstpost's Anmol Singla on the sidelines of the event, May-Elin Stener, Ambassador of Norway to India, expressed appreciation for India's active role in the Arctic, 'We appreciate very much India's engagement in the Arctic. They are an active observer and we appreciate that too. We are including India more and more and India wants to be included more and more in the discussion in the Arctic Council.'
She highlighted the collaborative efforts during Norway's Chairmanship, 'When we have, as Norway, been chairing the Arctic Council the last two years, we have been also working towards including the observers even more, so that is very much appreciated also that India is active.'
Regarding scientific collaboration with India, Stener noted, 'Also at the archipelago of Svalbard in the Arctic, that is Norwegian territory, we have a research station very far north there, and we have Indian researchers at the station called Himadri. And they are very active and they're cooperating very much and very closely with our researchers also.'
Himadri, India's first permanent Arctic research station, is located in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the high Arctic. Established in July 2008, Himadri marks India's scientific footprint in the region and is managed by NCPOR, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
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Himadri station during winter season. Image/NCPOR
The station serves as a vital base for long-term scientific studies on climate change, atmospheric sciences, and Arctic ecology.
Indian researchers at Himadri work in close collaboration with international scientists, including those from Norway. Their work focuses on critical areas such as the impact of Arctic ice melt on global climate systems, particularly the Indian monsoon.
'I think this is crucial for the research on how things are linked in the world. Ice melting in the Arctic is affecting the monsoons here in India. The researchers are doing work on that, and collecting data and also learning more on what we can do about that.'
What challenges does the Arctic Council face
The Arctic Council faces challenges, particularly geopolitical tensions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The seven other Arctic States have had limited cooperation with Russia, leading to uncertainties in the Council's operations.
In this context, Stener told Firstpost, 'Well Russia is part of the Arctic council, also a state bordering the Arctic. Norway is also working with Russia on a technical level in the Arctic Council. And India, as an observer, will also be part of the discussions there.'
"We welcome the increased global interest we are now seeing, but one principle that has not changed, and should not change, is that all change must be based on international law."#IndiaForum
"We have a solid and recognised set of rules."
May-Elin Stener, Ambassador of 🇳🇴to🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/xLFc5cjTYn — Arctic Circle (@_Arctic_Circle) May 4, 2025
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Despite these challenges, the Council continues to function, with Norway navigating the chairmanship of the Council during especially troubling times.
India, along with other Asian Observers, can play a role in promoting dialogue and inclusivity within the Council.
The 2025 Arctic Circle Assembly will be held in the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre, Reykjavík, Iceland, on October 16-18.