Why Are Tensions High in the Arctic?

Syllabus: GS2/International Relations; GS3/Resource Geography

Context

• The Arctic has become a geopolitical hotspot due to climate change, resource competition, and strategic rivalries among major powers.

About Arctic Region

• It is one of the most fragile and crucial ecosystems on Earth, covering the northernmost parts of the planet. 
• It includes the Arctic Ocean, parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and the United States (Alaska).
• The Arctic is warming at nearly four times the global average, causing environmental and economic shifts that influence policies and territorial claims.

Key Factors Driving Geopolitical Tensions in Arctic Region

• Natural Resources: According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the region holds about 13% of the world’s undiscovered oil and 30% of its natural gas.
  • With ice caps retreating, these resources are becoming increasingly accessible, fueling competition among nations seeking to exploit them.
• New Navigational Routes: These include routes such as the Northern Sea Route (NSR) and the Northwest Passage are becoming viable alternatives to the Suez and Panama Canals.
  • The Northeast Passage along Russia’s Arctic coast could shorten trade routes between Asia and Europe by 8,000 km, reducing costs significantly.
  • Northwest Passage, a potential shipping route through Canada’s Arctic archipelago, remains a flashpoint.
    • Canada asserts it as internal waters, while the US insists it is an international strait with freedom of navigation.

Key Concerns/Challenges

• Russia’s Expansion in the Arctic: Russia, which controls nearly half of the Arctic coastline, has been actively increasing its military presence in the region.
  • It has reopened Soviet-era military bases, deployed nuclear-powered icebreakers, and modernized its Arctic military infrastructure. 
  • Russia conducted regular military drills, signaling its determination to assert control over Arctic waters.
• NATO’s Response and Western Concerns: In response to Russia, the United States and NATO have ramped up their presence in the region.
  • Finland and Sweden’s decision to join NATO is partly due to concerns over Russian aggression, particularly after its invasion of Ukraine. 
  • The US has increased Arctic military exercises, deployed submarines, and strengthened ties with Norway and Canada to counter Russian influence.
  • The United Kingdom, for instance, has repeatedly emphasised the strategic importance of the Greenland-Iceland-U.K. (GIUK) gap, a critical choke point for NATO’s naval defences.
• China’s Growing Arctic Ambitions: China, despite being a non-Arctic nation, has declared itself a ‘near-Arctic state’ and is investing heavily in Arctic infrastructure.
  • It has proposed a ‘Polar Silk Road’ as part of its Belt and Road Initiative, aiming to establish economic and scientific footholds in the region.
• Legal Disputes and Territorial Claims: Several Arctic nations have competing territorial claims in the region, particularly over the continental shelf.

Geopolitical Implications

• UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS): Nations can extend their claims to the seabed beyond the 200-nautical-mile EEZ if they can prove that the area is a natural prolongation of their continental shelf.
  • Russia, Canada, and Denmark (via Greenland) have all submitted claims to extend their seabed sovereignty under the UNCLOS.
  • The US, which has not ratified UNCLOS, faces limitations in asserting its claims. Meanwhile, Russia has used legal maneuvers and strategic military positioning to reinforce its claims, challenging Western interests.
• Arctic Council: It is composed of eight nations (U.S., Canada, Russia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland), and aims to promote environmental protection and scientific cooperation.
  • It was formally established in 1996 through the Ottawa Declaration.
  • India is an Observer in the Arctic Council.

India’s Role in Arctic Research

• India, despite being a non-Arctic nation, plays an active role in Arctic research.
• National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR): India conducts scientific studies on climate patterns, marine biodiversity, and glacial dynamics. 
• India’s Arctic Policy, titled ‘India and the Arctic’ by the Ministry of Earth Science for building a partnership for sustainable development.
• India established Himadri (in 2008), its research station in Svalbard, Norway, to study Arctic climate systems and their global impact.

Source: TH