As Arctic ice recedes, new shipping lanes could emerge; India and Russia have expressed satisfaction with the advances in their collaboration on the Northern Sea Route; India also said it will work toward allocating a location for a second nuclear facility after Kudankulam.
A joint statement after the India-Russia summit on Friday (December 5, 2025) said that India and Russia have committed to “regular bilateral consultations” on “Arctic-related issues” and welcomed the progress made in multilateral bilateral cooperation on the Northern Sea Route.
India has had scientific interests in the Arctic region since before it came into existence as an independent country, when the British government signed the Svalbard Treaty in 1920.
While this gave Norway sovereignty over the Svalbard archipelago, it also grants citizens and companies of the 48 signatory nations equal rights to carry out non-military, commercial, and scientific activities such as hunting, fishing, and mining, while prohibiting fortifications and military bases.
Research in the Arctic:
In 2007, New Delhi launched its first scientific expedition to the Arctic and established its first Arctic outpost, Himadri, in Svalbard.
Indian researchers are monitoring the mass balance of Arctic glaciers and comparing them to glaciers in the Himalayan region.
India is also actively involved in studies related to Arctic oceanography, atmosphere, pollution, and microbiology. Currently, more than 25 institutions and universities in India are involved in Arctic research.
Since 2007, approximately one hundred peer-reviewed papers on Arctic issues have been published. There are 13 observer states in the Arctic Council: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, China, Poland, India, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
In 2014 and 2016, India’s first multi-sensor moored observatory in Kongsfjorden and the Northern Atmospheric Laboratory in Ny-Ålesund were launched in the Arctic region. By 2022, India had conducted thirteen successful expeditions to the Arctic. Due to the melting of polar ice caused by global warming, large-scale geological changes are expected in the future, which will open up new sea routes and also increase the potential for mineral and metal resources.
Location of the second nuclear power facility:
India and Russia also pledged to deepen cooperation in the nuclear energy sector, including fuel cycle and life cycle support for the operation of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, construction of the remaining nuclear power units at the site, and a timeline for the supply of equipment and fuel.
Two units of 1,000 MW capacity are already operational, and the remaining four units of 1,000 MW capacity each are under construction. The full 6,000 MW capacity of the Kudankulam site is expected to be achieved by 2027.
The two countries also agreed to “further discussions” on a second nuclear power plant, with India stating that it would “endeavor” to allocate a second site in accordance with previously signed agreements.
Both countries also agreed to expedite technical and commercial negotiations on the VVER (Vodo-Vodyanoi Energetichesky Reactor) Russian nuclear reactor for the design, research, and joint development of nuclear power plants.
The two countries also welcomed “enhanced partnership” between the Indian Space Research Organisation and Russia’s state space corporation, Roscosmos, in the peaceful uses of outer space, including human spaceflight programs, satellite navigation, planetary exploration, and rocket engine development.
