RT-Engels: 31-07-2026,
Creating the role will help India pursue ‘polar diplomacy’ more effectively and work for full-member status of the Arctic Council
India should consider appointing a “polar ambassador” to pursue “polar diplomacy” more effectively, a parliamentary panel has recommended.
“Creating such a position will not only help India project the importance given to these regions in its foreign policy architecture but will also help put across its policy stance in relation to polar areas/pursue polar diplomacy in a more effective manner,” lawmakers on the committee said.
A parliamentary panel in India is a small group of MPs that weighs in on bills and budgets, and the work of various ministries.
India established a scientific presence in Antarctica in 1982 and has three active research stations there now. New Delhi came out with an Arctic Policy in 2022.
The Arctic has become increasingly important for New Delhi amid the shipping disruptions in the Middle East caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran. India is considering increasing the use of the Northern Sea Route (NSR), also called the Arctic route, Russia’s minister for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, Alexey Chekunkov, said last month.
Russia is investing heavily in developing the NSR, which is the shortest shipping route between East Asia and Europe. Indian shipyards are in talks to build four non-nuclear icebreaker ships for Russia.
The committee noted that all Arctic Council member states,