Russia Wants India In Arctic Council To Navigate Northern Sea Route

Russia is avidly courting India for an Arctic power play in the 'Northern Sea Route' with an Arctic Council Membership on the table. India has a small permanent presence in the Arctic, but wants a larger toehold so it can also tap the vast natural resources of the Arctic.

Will the world soon see India's big Arctic entry? Discussions are underway about New Delhi's potential involvement in the development of the Northern Sea Route (NSR), a new navigation corridor skirting along the Russian shore in the Arctic, along the Russian Arctic shores being opened up in the Arctic Circle. The question remains: will India, a long-standing partner of Russia, take steps towards exploring opportunities in this emerging sphere of Arctic geopolitics?

The NSR, which runs through the Arctic Ocean along Russia's northern coast, is up to 40 per cent shorter than traditional southern maritime routes like the Suez Canal, offering faster, safer, and more cost-effective cargo movement between Eurasia and the Asia-Pacific region.

Vladimir Panov, Special Representative for Arctic Development at Rosatom, Moscow, Russia's state-run nuclear energy corporation and the infrastructure operator of the NSR - highlighted the strategic importance of the route in an exclusive interview with NDTV during the World Atomic Week in Moscow from September 25-28.

"A big bold global move," asserts Vladimir Panov, Special Representative for Arctic Development at Rosatom, Russia's state-run nuclear energy corporation and the infrastructure operator of the NSR.

Panov underlined that cooperation with countries interested in partnership in the Arctic region, like India, could become an important factor in the NSR's future development. Panov emphasised the strategic importance of the NSR and Russia's desire to see India play a central role in its future.

India already has a permanent research station in the Arctic, named Himadri, and located at the International Arctic Research base in Ny Alesund, Svalbard, Norway, approximately 1,200 kilometres from the North Pole. Established on July 1, 2008, Himadri serves as a hub for Indian scientific investigations into various fields, including atmospheric, oceanographic, and climate change studies. Last year, Earth Science Minister Kiren Rijiju visited the Arctic and said, "Life in the Arctic is so unique! India's Research Station Himadri in the Arctic is now made into a permanent station to be operational, round the year!"

"The Northern Sea Route is not just a new shipping lane - it's the last major addition to global marine logistics for the next few centuries," said Panov.

"Given the instability in traditional maritime corridors like the Red Sea and the rising threat of piracy in Southeast Asia, the NSR offers a safe and efficient alternative. And India, as a trusted long-term partner of Russia, has a vital role to play in this transformation," he added.

Panov highlighted that Russia has already deployed eight nuclear icebreakers, including four of a new generation, to ensure year-round navigability of the NSR. These icebreakers carve channels through Arctic ice, enabling even non-ice-class vessels to traverse the route safely. He cited recent examples of Chinese cargo ships successfully completing NSR voyages in just 18 days - saving over three weeks compared to traditional routes.

India's interest in the NSR is not new. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Moscow in July 2024, both nations agreed to establish a joint working group under their intergovernmental commission to explore cooperation in Arctic shipping. This group, co-chaired by Vladimir Panov and India's Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, held its first meeting in New Delhi in October 2024. Discussions included joint Arctic shipbuilding projects, training Indian sailors for polar navigation, and drafting a memorandum of understanding for cargo shipping cooperation along the NSR.

Panov underscored the economic rationale behind the NSR, stating, "Everything we do on the Northern Sea Route is connected to the economy. It cannot be just an experiment - it must be profitable and efficient. And India's sea trade with Russian ports has immense potential to shift to this route."

Beyond logistics, Panov also touched upon India's observer status in the Arctic Council - a multilateral forum comprising eight members, the Arctic states, seven of which are NATO countries. He pointed out that the Council's membership is determined by geographic criteria and noted that in today's interconnected world, economic and practical cooperation could also be an important basis for international dialogue. Beyond logistics, Panov also addressed India's current status as an observer in the Arctic Council. He questioned the relevance of the Council's geographic-based membership model in today's interconnected world and proposed a new international organization based on economic pragmatism and mutual trust.

"My personal position is that we need a new format for Arctic cooperation - one that doesn't divide countries into first-row or second-row members," Panov said.

"India is deeply connected to Arctic trade and logistics. It's time we move beyond politics and create a structure where all stakeholders are equal. We've already started this process with India through our bilateral format," he said.

This sentiment was echoed at the International Arctic Forum held in March-April this year, where senior Indian and Russian officials brainstormed long-term development models for the NSR. Rosatom's Director General Alexey Likhachev emphasised the need for increased cargo traffic and more icebreakers, projecting future volumes of up to 150 million tons.

India's strategic interest in the NSR also aligns with its broader energy security goals. The route offers uninterrupted access to Russian energy supplies, bypassing conflict-prone regions like the Red Sea. Indian officials have expressed interest in integrating the NSR with the Eastern Maritime Corridor and the North-South Transport Corridor, enhancing connectivity between India, Russia, and Europe.

Russia's invitation to India to join the NSR and help shape a new Arctic cooperation framework marks a pivotal moment in Indo-Russian relations. It reflects a shared vision for economic resilience, maritime innovation, and geopolitical balance in a rapidly changing world. As Panov put it, "India is a very long-term partner of Russia. We are looking forward to decades of cooperation and working together."