A comparative analysis of China’s and India’s policies in the Arctic at the present stage

Abstract

Over the past few years, Asian countries have taken an active interest in the Arctic region. The key reasons for the growing interest in the Arctic are primarily the need to increase scientific knowledge and research in the Arctic, as well as the economic aspect, as these countries are quite resource-dependent. Since the Arctic represents an untapped opportunity in terms of oil and gas exploration, China and India are keen to take advantage of the geopolitical situation to gain access to the region. Today, the challenges and opportunities facing countries transcend national borders. As the world becomes more interconnected, there is a growing awareness of how decisions made in one part of the world have consequences for people far away. Therefore, it is correct to say that the Arctic falls within the strategic interests of China and India, which include the need for energy security, environmental security, and the need to protect geopolitical interests as other non-Arctic countries increase their importance in the Arctic. In this article, we will examine and compare China’s and India’s current vision of the Arctic, including the main theses from the official documents of the two states.