Union Minister Kiren Rijiju launches maiden Indian Winter Arctic Expedition

Union Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju launched the maiden Indian Winter Arctic Expedition here on Monday.

This maiden winter expedition is comprised of four scientists, who will visit the Arctic region to make atmospheric observations during the night and carry out auroral studies and changes in sea ice.

Now, India will have a year-long presence at Himadri, the country's Arctic research station located in Spitsbergen in Norway, as it has in the Antarctic, near the South Pole.

Speaking on the occasion, Rijiju said that it will be interesting to see how the first batch of four researchers will function there in winter. "Because you are going there for the first time," he said.

Rijiju made a two-day visit to Himadri in June this year.

"When I saw our Himadri station in the Arctic, I realised that we have a potential and people trust us. The Norwegian Polar Institute people also had shown lots of faith in Indian scientists, they expect that India will make substantial contributions to climate science," he said.

"Our presence in the Arctic during the winter will add substantial value in the whole process," the minister added.

As per the government, the Himadri operations for year-round observations will help more optimal and efficient utilization of the research station and will address the knowledge gap and data deficiency during winter polar nights, especially in atmospheric sciences, space physics and biological sciences.

India's vision behind launching the first Winter Arctic Expedition is to expand the country's scientific activities to other critical and core Arctic realms.

It also aims to establish a network of observatories to study 'land-sea-atmosphere-cryosphere' interactions and to initiate sustained scientific observations in the Arctic Ocean to understand the sea-ice loss and its impact on Monsoons among others.

India began its scientific endeavours in the Arctic in 2007 when a team of five scientists visited the International Arctic Research Facilities at Ny-Alesund to initiate studies in the fields of Arctic microbiology, atmospheric sciences and geology. Following the success of this initial step, the Ministry embarked on a long-term program of regular scientific activities in the Arctic in the frontier realms of polar biology, glaciology and earth and atmospheric sciences.

To date, 57 scientists from 18 national institutions, organisations and universities have participated in the Indian Arctic Programme, which is being co-ordinated and implemented by NCPOR on behalf of the Ministry.

The focus areas of research by the Indian scientists at Ny-Alesund are confined to some of the frontier areas of polar sciences of special relevance to the Arctic realm, such as glaciology, atmospheric science, biology and climate change.

A comprehensive long-term Science Plan of research activities by Indian scientists in the Arctic realm has also been developed. To facilitate the Indian activities, a station building has been taken on lease at Ny-Alesund to serve as India's Research Base in the Arctic.

India is a member of the Ny-Alesund Science Managers Committee (NySMAC)- the apex body responsible for coordinating and advising all the Member Nations on scientific projects at Ny-Alesund.

India has also an observer status in the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) since 2011.