India’s Play in the Arctic: Why Do We Care About Melting Ice?

When you think of India, you think of heat, not ice. So why does India have a scientific base in the Arctic (Himadri)? It’s actually one of the most fascinating geopolitical shifts happening right now. As global warming melts the Arctic ice, new shipping lanes are opening up—the Northern Sea Route. This could cut travel time from Mumbai to Europe by almost half. Also, the Arctic is sitting on massive untapped oil and gas reserves. India, being the third-largest energy consumer, cannot afford to be left out of that conversation. We have observer status in the Arctic Council. It’s a long game. We might not be an Arctic nation, but we are a major maritime power. What happens in the North Pole will directly affect our trade routes. It’s smart to have a seat at the table before the race for resources begins.