Remarks by Secretary(West) at the National Conference on Polar Sciences organised by National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research(NCPOR), Vasco da Gama, Goa

Dr. M. Rajeevan, Distinguished Scientist and former Secretary to GoI
Prof. H. Menon, Vice Chancellor, Goa University
Dr. Thamban Meloth, Director, NCPOR
Dr. Rahul Mohan, Group Director, NCPOR

I congratulate NCPOR for hosting the third edition of this National Conference on Polar Sciences. NCPOR's contribution towards nurturing polar sciences in our country is commendable, and serve India's interests in the Arctic and the Antarctic.

2. Friends, even when our socio-economic stock was low and we lacked institutions and resources at independence, India was an enthusiastic and important voice in world affairs. Today, as a capable, self-assured and self-reliant nation, we aspire to be a leading power, rather than just a balancing power. We are the world's third biggest economy in PPP terms, and expect to be the third biggest in nominal terms in the near future. As our economy increases its global footprint, our interests go beyond our near and extended neighbourhood. India is among the leading global maritime powers. We provide a tenth of the global seafarers, and have since built up enviable capability in hydrographic surveys, nautical charting and capacity-building. As a major maritime nation, our co-relation with the two Poles will only increase.

3. Talking about the importance of the polar region to an audience like you is like trying to convert the converted. The Arctic and Antarctic's significance to India and the earth's atmospheric, oceanographic, and ecological cycles is your guiding grammar. But, the Arctic Ocean's natural resources, the potential availability of shorter sea routes, the geostrategic contestations are on MEA's dashboard too.

4. Unlike the Antarctic, which is governed partly by the Antarctic Treaty, no multilateral treaty governs the Arctic region. Competing interests and the ensuing scramble amongst nation states near and far from this icy pole will sooner than later pose a global security and environmental challenge. A challenge for the international order, a challenge for global governance. The Arctic Council for instance has clearly been affected by the geopolitics of the Ukraine conflict.

5. It is oft said - Geography is destiny. In today's world, geography and global politics are inseparable. We have seen examples where countries create or name geographical features with political implications or for resource-mapping and exploitation. Size, economic might and raw intimidation by countries come into the script because there are unmarked geographical spaces which some nations would like to exclusively own and dominate.

6. India foresaw this challenge closer home. We, therefore stand for an open, balanced, rules-based and stable international regime in the Indo-Pacific region, and in principle, even beyond. PM Modi articulated India's vision and objective as - multi-faceted engagement with all, encompassing political, security, economic, and socio-cultural spheres, aimed at Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).

7. Our Indo-pacific vision, which builds on India's Act East Policy, recognises that the "far" is relevant, and is therefore, near. Our interests and growing needs requires that we engage far and wide, including the polar regions. Our Arctic Policy and the Indian Antarctic Act reflect the strong imperatives to engage with the polar regions.

8. India has been engaging with the countries in the Arctic rim to develop effective cooperative partnerships that can contribute to a safe, stable, and secure Arctic. India regularly participates in the Arctic Ministerial meetings in the capacity of an Observer. India is also enhancing cooperation with like-minded countries. For example, with Japan, a fellow Asian Arctic Council Observer, India has a good mutual understanding .

9. Bilaterally, India has robust cooperation with all countries of the region. In the second India-Nordic Summit in May 2022, PM Modi noted that India's Arctic Policy provides a good framework for the expansion of India-Nordic cooperation in the Arctic region. With the US and Russia, India has a strategic partnership. With Canada, India has longstanding bilateral relations. India's trade with Nordic countries is over $16 billion annually.

10. Politically and strategically, India aspires to be placed as an important participant in Arctic matters before global warming opens the Arctic. Strengthening cultural and people-to-people contacts, particularly with the Arctic's indigenous communities will be an important dimension of India's engagement with the Arctic region. All this will require India to build upon its existing polar expertise, further consolidate its existing relations with the Arctic countries and facilitate its industry and academia to build capacities and capabilities for future opportunities.

11. Now, let me come to Antarctica "the white continent" which too has profound effects on the Earth's climate and ocean systems. India has stood for the non-militarization of the Antarctic region and preserving the region for peace and science only, not letting it become the object of any international discord. With the same commitment, India acceded to the Antarctic Treaty in 1983. India actively participates in the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCM), and we will be hosting ACTM again in 2024 at Cochin.

12. Friends, India belongs to an exclusive group of nations that have multiple research stations within the Polar Regions. Our 43rd annual Antarctic expedition is scheduled later this year. The Indian Antarctic Act will further structure and facilitate our interest and proactive involvement in the Antarctic to increase international visibility, and our credibility in Polar governance.

13. Besides the two poles, references are made to the Himalayas as the "Third Pole" in view of it having the largest permanent ice cover outside the polar regions. We understand the science behind the linkage. However, we need to be cautious of its geopolitics. The Arctic Council model does not fit in the Himalayan region. Clearly, the regional dynamics and the profiles of the countries of the Arctic region and the Himalayan region are totally different. Our preference is to refer to the Himalayas as "Himalayas" and not as the "Third Pole".

14. India's interest in the polar regions and research is aimed at enhancing humankind's understanding of the polar regions; achieving sustainable development and the environmental preservation and protection of the polar regions and indigenous inhabitants. But, our engagement with the Arctic has to be gradually broad-based and mainstreamed with a focused multi-stakeholder approach involving not just the government entities, but also the research institutions, think tanks, universities, the private sector and so on.I am glad that NCPOR and Cochin University of Science and Technology are collaborating in polar research. Like NCPOR, more Indian institutes should join UArctic and partner with institutes in the Arctic countries.I am happy to note that UGC has added a course on India's Arctic engagement in the Swayam Portal. We encourage scientists and academia to publish more papers and scientific articles on polar issues in international journals.The Ministry of External Affairs and its Missions, on their part are ready to facilitate our engagement with the countries in the Arctic.

15. When scientific and foreign policy communities engage, the output is science diplomacy. The stated objective of this interaction serves the promotion of international scientific exchanges, but we know, all too well, that power equations between countries can overshadow the discourse of science diplomacy. Cooperation is trumped by strategic competition and conflicts, more so in our age of meta disruptions. Internationally, the challenge for us is to cooperate, but without losing sight of the primal - our national interest.

16. Here, there is an important aspect of security that I would like to highlight, in relation to science and technology. In our own neighbourhood, we have witnessed how industrial espionage and theft of technology has fuelled nuclear programs of our western neighbour. In recent years in the United States, many instances have come to light where foreign-origin American nationals have been caught stealing sensitive technologies for their country of origin.

17. You are all valuable members of India's scientific community, and therefore, I feel the need to highlight two aspects here :

One, how can we use all our resources, including diplomatic, for acquiring scientific data skills and technology ? For this, we need to have a clear idea of the capabilities that we need, and the academic and scientific partnerships that we need to evolve. Using legitimate means, and drawing on the strengths of our public sector and publicly funded institutions, to strategically target technological development, and possible acquisition.

Two, defend ourselves against sabotage, theft, and espionage attempts by foreign entities. As the recent experience of the United States shows, scientists dealing with sensitive technologies have been lured overseas under the guise of offering teaching positions, research grants and so on with clear motive to steal sensitive information. The cost of not firewalling our own research efforts cannot be afforded.

18. In closing, I thank NCPOR for organizing this National Conference on Polar Sciences and bringing eminent researchers working in diverse polar regions as well as the Himalayas to a common ground for interaction. This is an important contribution to India's overall policy concerning the Arctic and Antarctica. Also, because in a hyper-interconnected world working in silos is like working in the dark. I thank you for this invitation and wish you a successful conference. The Poles are a subject on which India cannot be left out in the cold ! Thank you

Goa
May 18, 2023