Cooperation of India and Russia in the Arctic: Challenges and Prospects

Annotation

The article examines the factors that have both a restraining and a facilitating effect on the development of cooperation between India and Russia in the Arctic. Attention is paid to the evolution of India’s foreign policy shaped by economic, political and diplomatic factors. The current state and prospects of cooperation between India and Russia in the transport sector are considered. Given India’s general interest in Arctic resources, it is more beneficial for India to participate not so much in the development of the Northern Sea Route as in the development of the “North–South” transport corridor and the southern sea route “Vladivostok–Chennai”. In energy cooperation, India’s involvement is limited to participation in the development of the Vankor and Taas-Yuryakh fields. Regarding mineral resources, India is most interested in the extraction and processing of rare-earth metals and diamonds, but these require long-term investment. In the scientific sphere, India is involved in studying the consequences of climate change and other fundamental research; however, the cooperation proposed by the Russian side has not yet been implemented. The main obstacles to India’s more active Arctic cooperation with Russia seem to be the long-term reorientation of its economy towards cooperation with the West and pressure from the US.

About authors

Valery N. Konyshev, Dr. Sci. (Polit.)
Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation, Sredniy pr., 57/43, Saint Petersburg, Russia
konyshev-vn@ranepa.ru, ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7257-6848

Keywords

Arctic, India’s policy, international cooperation, India-Russia relations

DOI

https://doi.org/10.37482/issn2221-2698.2026.63.216

UDC

327(540)(985)(045)