Ny Alesund, Arctic Circle:
India is all set to expand its engagement in the Arctic. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, who on Wednesday visited the remote island of Ny Alesund with his Norwegian counterpart, Espen Barth Eide, announced that India is in the process of increasing its presence in the Arctic and at "Himadri", India's research lab located here.
The Indian and Norwegian delegation, which came on a special chartered flight, also examined other research facilities on the island that has been turned into the world's frontier post for research on the Arctic and houses 180 scientists from more than 10 nations.
Right now, Indian scientists stay for just 40 days at a stretch and the country's station is only manned during the winters. But that is set to change with New Delhi planning to spend close to 12 million dollars over the next five years to enhance its presence here.
"What happens here has a direct bearing on the Monsoon and countries like India," said Manish Tewari, one of the lead scientists working at Himadri. "The Arctic is changing, ice melt is happening faster than anyone had anticipated, and that means higher sea levels across the world," he added.
But it is not just science that is driving nations to the Arctic. As the ice melt gathers speed, it is also exposing land which had earlier been inaccessible. "There is potentially substantial reserves of coal and oil trapped here and has sparked new global interest," adds Prasad Rao, lead scientist and PhD scholar at UNIS, the northernmost university on the planet located on the independently-governed island of Longyearbyen situated north of Ny Alesund.
India had, last month, scored a major diplomatic victory by managing to swing itself a seat on the Arctic Council as a permanent observer with support from countries like Norway which are primary members. The Council governs the Arctic and as an observer, India can be a part of what happens in the region. China, Italy, Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which had been lobbying for some time, have also been granted observer status.
Speaking to NDTV, Norwegian Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide, said, "We recognise the strong interest that India is showing in the Arctic. We are happy to support their application." Mr Eide also said that both India and Norway could also gain from each other through research as well as deeper economic ties. "India is playing an important role in climate discussions. The climate binds us together, whether you live in the Himalayas or here, the climate binds us and it is changing," he added.
When asked if India was also planning to be part of the 'New Great Game' as several think tanks are calling the increased interest over potential energy resources in the Arctic, Foreign Minister Khurshid said, "India is not here with a selfish interest... whatever is available to humankind, India is willing to share and contribute to, our focus is to understand our planet better and work to protect it."
Rising fuel prices globally may intensify the scramble for the Arctic and some say that a dangerous conflict in the region over valuable resources remains a remote possibility. Scientists warn that the Arctic's fragile ecology could be the first casualty in this eventuality.
But there are also signs that international cooperation can work. Buried deep inside a mountain on Longyerbyen is a testament to that effort. A 'Seed Vault', consisting of millions of seeds from across the world, including India, is stored for safe-keeping should a disease or disaster strike. The ground, in this area, is permanently frozen and there is no tectonic activity, making it an ideal storehouse for seeds. The brainchild of conservationist Cary Fowler, the bank was built by the Norwegian government, is free of cost and has a capacity to store 4.5 million seeds. The bank has regularly been receiving seeds since it opened its doors in 2008.
There are other signs of international cooperation at work too. The Island of Svalbard is a melting pot of scientists and workers from across the world. The Island is administered by Norway but is independently governed. UNIS draws students from across the world, who share and pool their knowledge to try and understand the reasons behind the change in the Arctic and in the rest of the world and finding ways of leaving a legacy for future generations.