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Context
- Almost 39 years after India signed the Antarctic Treaty; the Parliament last week passed the Indian Antarctic Bill 2022.
- With a growing number of Indian scientists in Antarctica’s research stations and in accordance with India’s commitment to the Antarctic treaty, the center introduced this bill.
About Antarctica
- Antarctica is the southernmost continent and does NOT have any indigenous population.
- The entire region is demilitarized and is used for scientific and peaceful purposes as per the Antarctic Treaty that came into force on June 23, 1961.
What is the Antarctic Treaty?
- The Antarctic Treaty was signed on December 01, 1959, by 12 countries: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the USSR, the UK, and the US.
- Their objective was to:
- Demilitarise Antarctica
- Promote international scientific cooperation, and
- To set aside territorial sovereignty disputes
- In the following years, more countries joined the Antarctic treaty.
- There are now 54 members, of which 29 countries have consultative (voting) status in the Antarctic Consultative Meetings held annually and 25 countries have non-consultative membership.
India and Antarctic Treaty
- India became a member of the Antarctic Treaty on August 19, 1983, and on September 12 of the same year, it received consultative status.
- Following the Antarctic treaty, member countries signed the ‘Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources at Canberra in 1980 which India ratified in 1985.
- The countries also signed the ‘Protocol on Environmental Protection” to the Antarctic Treaty (the Madrid Protocol) in 1991, which designates the continent as a natural reserve, devoted to peace and science.’
India in Antarctica
- Though there is no permanent human habitation in Antarctica, there are over 70 research stations scattered across the region from 29 countries that are signatories of the Antarctic treaty.
- These countries are obliged to protect and preserve the well-being of the environment and to cooperate with fellow researchers.
- India currently has two operational research stations in Antarctica:
- Maitri (Commissioned in 1989) and
- Bharati (Commissioned in 2012
- It has also successfully launched 40 annual scientific expeditions to date.
- With Himadri station in Ny-Alesund, Svalbard, above the Arctic Circle, India is among the elite set of nations that have multiple research centers in the Polar Regions.
Indian Antarctic Expedition
- India’s Antarctic expeditions started in 1981 with a team of 21 scientists and support staff.
- Thereafter, India launched 40 annual expeditions to the continent and set up the Antarctic Scientific Division and the Antarctic Logistics Division.
- India has conducted a wide range of research on topics including the climate process and its connection with climate change, environmental processes and conservation, terrestrial ecosystem, observational research, and polar technology in the Antarctic.
- The entire Indian Antarctic program is managed by the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) in Goa.
- On November 15, 2021, India launched its latest exploration in the Antarctic with two major programs which aim to explore the link between India and Antarctica in the past and to understand the Antarctic climate.
Why need this bill?
- The bill provides a regulatory framework for India’s Antarctic activities through legal mechanisms which will help in the efficient operation of the Indian Antarctic Programme.
- It confers jurisdiction on Indian courts to deal with crimes and disputes committed by Indian citizens in parts of Antarctica.
- Legislation of such a kind will bind the citizens to the policies of the Antarctic treaty system.
- The bill plans to facilitate India’s involvement in the management of tourism in the Antarctic and the sustainable development of fisheries.
- It also aims to increase India’s international visibility and credibility in Polar governance for cooperation in scientific studies and logistics.
- The Bill prohibits activities that contaminant the Antarctic continent including, nuclear explosion and radioactive waste disposal, introduction of non-sterile soil, and discharge of plastic, garbage and other substance into the sea.
Key feature: Indian Antarctic Authority (IAA)
- The Bill plans to set up IAA as an apex decision-making authority under the Earth Sciences Ministry, to provide an accountable process for supervision of Antarctic research and expeditions.
- IAA will ensure the protection and preservation of the Antarctic environment and will ensure compliance by Indian citizens engaged in the Antarctic programs and activities with relevant rules and internationally agreed standards.
- It will be headed by the secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences and will have members from other relevant ministries.
Hurdles for India
- The issue of a polar research vessel, however, still needs to be addressed immediately.
- So far, India has been chartering such ships from countries like Russia and Norway while China has raced ahead and has two of its own.
- A decision was indeed taken by the Union Cabinet in October 2014 for India to have its own research ship with ice-breaking and other advanced technological capabilities but it remains unimplemented.
Way forward
- The acquisition of a vessel on a permanent basis is a logical next step to the passage of the Bill as also the revamp of the quite old Maitri research station.
- The polar research vessel will also be required as India expands its association with and involvement in the Arctic as well.
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