India to play global role in ocean geopolitics, address climate concerns: Jitendra Singh

New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) India will play a global role in ocean geopolitics, as well as address climate concerns, said Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh on Thursday.

He said this while inaugurating Sagar Bhavan and Polar Bhavan -- two first-of-its-kind facilities in India and among the very few in the world at Goa's National Centre of Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR). The facilities mark a significant step in India’s growing focus on polar and ocean studies.

Pointing out the increasing relevance of ocean geopolitics in global affairs, the Minister expressed confidence that the institutes will facilitate “India's increased role in geopolitics and even enable the country to play a global role in ocean geopolitics”.

In addition, the new facilities will also enable the institute to gain supremacy in the study of weather patterns as also to address climate concerns, he said.

Polar Bhavan, now the largest building at the NCPOR campus, spans 11,378 square metres and was constructed for Rs 55 crore. It includes laboratories for polar and ocean research, 55 rooms for scientific personnel, a conference room, a seminar hall, a library, and a canteen. It houses the newly inaugurated SOS facility and will eventually serve as the home of India’s first Polar and Ocean Museum.

Sagar Bhavan, covering 1,772 square metres, was built for Rs 13 crore. It includes two minus 30 degrees Celsius ice core laboratories and +4 degrees Celsius storage units for archiving sediment and biological samples.

The building also features 29 rooms, including a metal-free Class 1000 clean room for trace metal and isotope studies.

Singh noted that the addition of these facilities positions NCPOR among a select group of institutions with integrated polar and ocean research capabilities. He highlighted that the institute’s scientific efforts are not only regionally relevant but globally significant, given the transboundary nature of polar phenomena.

He further acknowledged NCPOR’s role in maintaining India’s research presence in critical zones, including Antarctica (with stations Maitri and Bharati), the Arctic (Himadri), and the Himalayas (Himansh).

“Institutions like NCPOR will be central to India’s scientific and strategic engagement, particularly in view of the government’s vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047,” Singh said

The Minister also referred to India’s Arctic Policy (2022) and the Indian Antarctic Act (2022) as guiding frameworks that enable science-led, environmentally responsible engagement in polar regions.

He noted that the Indian Antarctic Act provides the legal foundation for India’s activities in the continent, aligning with international commitments and standards.

India’s polar research has extended its geographic and temporal reach in recent years, with missions now venturing into the Canadian Arctic, Greenland, and Central Arctic Ocean across seasons.

The Minister underlined the need for strategic, science-driven participation in global climate and ocean initiatives.

--IANS

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