Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – International Relations
In news
India is participating in the 3rd Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM3) –
It is the global platform for discussing research and cooperation in the Arctic region
It is the first Ministerial meeting being held in Asia
Important value additions
The first two meetings—ASM1 and ASM2—were held in the USA in 2016 and Germany in 2018, respectively.
ASM3 is jointly organised by: Iceland and Japan.
The meeting is designed to provide opportunities to various stakeholders to enhance collective understanding of the Arctic region, emphasize and engage in constant monitoring, and strengthen observations.
Since July 2008, India has a permanent research station in the Arctic called Himadari at Ny Alesund, Svalbard Area in Norway.
Since 2013, India enjoys ‘Observer’ status in the Arctic Council with twelve other countries (Japan, China, France, Germany, UK, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Spain, Netherlands, Singapore, and South Korea).
It has also deployed a multi-sensor moored observatory called IndARC in the Kongsfjorden fjord since July 2014.
India also contributes to the Sustained Arctic Observational Network (SAON).
The research in the Arctic region from India is coordinated, conducted, and promoted by the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences
