Overview

• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar highlighted India's deepening Arctic involvement, building on over 40 years of Antarctic experience and a formal Arctic policy introduced in recent years.
• Jaishankar underscored the Arctic's growing global significance, linking its warming-induced opportunities to India's youthful population and rapid economic growth.
• India has strengthened its Arctic presence through international collaborations, including agreements with KSAT on Svalbard to support its space operations.
• Critiquing Europe's inconsistent stance, Jaishankar stated that India seeks equal partners over moralizing nations, urging Europe to adapt to the realities of a multipolar world.
• He reaffirmed India's 'realism' approach, emphasizing balanced engagement with major powers like the US and Russia based on mutual interests rather than ideological alignments.