The Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) organized a joint conference at IDSA in New Delhi on The Geopolitics of the Arctic, together with PRIO and the Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI). Held on 23-24 September 2013, the conference was a part of the FNI/IFS AsiArctic project. The primary focus of the conference was to discuss the perspectives on Arctic governance of the Asian countries, particularly India, Japan, China and South Korea. These countries have all recently attained observer status in the Arctic Council. Discussions centred on the implications of their observership and possible new perspectives that may emerge from their engagement in the Arctic.

Programme

Monday 23 September
1130 – 1200 Registration and Tea
1200 – 1210 Welcome remarks by Arvind Gupta, Director, IDSA
1210 – 1220 Introductory remarks about the AsiArctic research programme by Arild Moe, Deputy Director, FNI
Session 1: Arctic and Asia Perspective
Chair: Uttam Sinha, IDSA.
1220 – 1240 ‘Asia in the Arctic’ - Arvind Gupta, the Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi
1240 – 1300 ‘The Arctic and East Asian Security: A Japanese View’ - Shinji Hyodo, National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS), Tokyo
1300 – 1320 ‘Overview of the Korea’s Arctic Policy Development’ - Justin (Jong-Deog) Kim, Korea Maritime Institute, Seoul
1320 – 1340 ‘China’s Role in Arctic Affairs in the Context of Global Governance’ - Jiang Ye, Shanghai Institute for International Studies (SIIS)
1340 – 1410 Discussion
1410 - 1500 Lunch, hosted by IDSA
Session 2: Law, Governance and Resources
Chair: Jo Inge Bekkevold, Head of Centre for Asian Security Studies, Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies (IFS)
1500 – 1520 ‘Asian stakes and Arctic Governance’, Olav Schram Stokke, Research Professor, Fridtjof Nansen Institute; and Department of Political Science, University of Oslo
1520 – 1540 ‘Arctic: the next great game in energy geopolitics?’ - Shebonti Ray Dadwal, (IDSA)
1540 – 1600 ‘The Legal regime of the Arctic and India's role and options’ HP Rajan, Independent legal consultant
Tea & coffee break
1600 – 1620 ‘Governing the global commons: emerging trend in Arctic governance’, Dr Sumana Datta (Independent researcher earlier with TERI)
1620 – 1700 Discussion
Tuesday 24 September
Session 3: Arctic Navigation and Indigenous Rights
Chair: Justin (Jong-Deog) Kim, Korea Maritime Institute, Seoul
1000 – 1020 ‘Norwegian Arctic policy’, Kristine Offerdal, Research coordinator at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies (IFS) and Jo Inge Bekkevold, Head of Centre for Asian Security Studies, Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies (IFS)
1020 – 1040 ‘Polar Code and Arctic Navigation’, Vijay Sakhuja, ICWA
1040 – 1100 ‘The Northern Sea Route: Status, Challenges and Potential’, Arild Moe Deputy Director at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI)
1100 – 1120 Tea & coffee break
1120 – 1140 ‘Sino-Russian Relations and the Arctic Dimension’, Tom Røseth, Research Fellow at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies (IFS)
1140 – 1200 ‘Sovereignty and Indigenous Rights in the Arctic’, Ashild Kolas (PRIO)
1200 – 1220 ‘The Maritime Tiger: Exploring South Korea's Interests and Role in the Arctic’, Mia Bennett, Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge
1220-1300 Discussion
1300 – 1400 Lunch, hosted by IDSA