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BRICS can widen India’s Arctic role, though it cannot become another Arctic Council

BRICS can widen India’s Arctic role. Though it can't become another Arctic Council
Countries
BrazilChinaEgyptIndiaIndonesiaRussiaSouth AfricaUnited Arab Emirates
Cooperation areas
Inclusive MultilateralismInstitutional DevelopmentSustainable Development

Source: ThePrint | Original Published At: 2026-09-09 12:03:46 UTC

Key Points

  • India hosted the eighth meeting of the BRICS Working Group on Ocean and Polar Science and Technology in Goa during its BRICS presidency.
  • The meeting involved eight of the bloc’s members and discussed joint ocean and polar research, climate monitoring, biodiversity, data-sharing, and training for young researchers.
  • The article argues that BRICS is better positioned to complement the Arctic Council through science and technology cooperation than to create a new Arctic governance structure.
  • The Arctic Council remains the main platform for Arctic governance, while India has held observer status since 2013.
  • BRICS members contribute complementary strengths, including Russia’s polar research experience, India’s polar and ocean research, China’s polar research base, and perspectives from Brazil, South Africa, Indonesia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.
  • India is also pursuing bilateral cooperation with Russia on Arctic and Far East issues, including a five-year cooperation programme and a memorandum of understanding between Indian and Russian polar research institutions.
  • The article frames India’s approach as strategic autonomy, using the Arctic Council, BRICS, and bilateral partnerships in parallel rather than choosing one institutional track.
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