External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday underscored India’s growing involvement in the Arctic region, noting that the country’s future is closely linked to developments in the polar regions due to their rising global significance.
Speaking at the Arctic Circle India Forum 2025, Jaishankar highlighted India’s longstanding presence in the Antarctic for over 40 years and its more recent strategic moves in the Arctic, including the adoption of a dedicated Arctic policy and international collaborations like the agreement with KSAT on Svalbard, relevant to India’s space sector.
“As the nation with the largest youth population in the world, what happens in the Arctic is of extreme importance to us,” he said. “New trade routes are emerging as a result of warming, and the region’s resources and technologies are poised to reshape the global economy. For a growing India, this is vital.”
Jaishankar also addressed the geopolitical ramifications of Arctic developments, warning that intensifying global rivalries have only made the region more critical. “The Arctic’s future is deeply connected to broader international shifts, including political realignments within the US,” he noted.
Adding to the discussion, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, Chairman of the Arctic Circle and former President of Iceland, emphasized India’s economic stake in the Arctic. He urged Indian economists to recognize that access to Arctic resources would play a key role in the country’s economic future.
“As the world witnesses closer China-Russia cooperation and evolving US-Russia relations, India’s approach will be central in shaping the Arctic’s geopolitical and economic trajectory,” Grimsson said.
India’s increasing Arctic engagement signals a strategic pivot in its foreign policy, positioning the country as a serious stakeholder in one of the world’s most consequential frontiers.