New Delhi
13 May 2007
is keen to explore the possibility of joint scientific collaboration in future, director of
Russian Antarctic Expedition Valery Lukin said.
According to Mr Lukin, India and Russia can extend the bilateral science and technology
cooperation to Antarctica to undertake scientific research in climate change and other
areas of mutual interest.
"We would like to extend the logistics collaboration to scientific cooperation [in]
modelling of atmosphere in ocean situation or seismic research. Russia can also help
deliver people to [India's] new station," Mr Lukin told this newspaper.
India's proposal to set up a third research base in Antarctica, in the exclusive
Larsemann Hills area, was cleared at the recently concluded 30th Antarctic Treaty
Consultative Meeting in New Delhi. Sources said that a panel has endorsed the
mandatory Comprehensive Environmental Evaluation Report for setting up the base.
Mr Lukin and his colleague Dr Alexander V Frolov, deputy head of Roshydromet,
represented Russia in the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting. They said that the
logistical support extended by Russia included delivery of cargo from Cape Town to
Queen Maud Land and giving India access to a Russian runway in the icy continent.
"Medical support is also being extended," Dr Frolov said.
Mr Lukin and Dr Frolov suggested that both sides could benefit from collaborative
research and field experiments on climate change. They said that the 30th Antarctic
Treaty Consultative Meeting has decided to constitute two groups, including one to study
non-governmental activity like tourism, in order to reduce human intervention and
activity like indiscriminate tourism and fishing.
India has two research bases -- Dakshin Gangotri and Maitri -- in the Antarctica. Dakshin
Gangotri is non-functional because it is buried under ice. There are about 20 scientists
working in Maitri.
India hosted the 30th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting from April 30 to May 11. This
was the first time India hosted it. It coincided with the 25th year of ratification of the
Antarctic Treaty by India. Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings are annual meetings of
the Consultative and Non Consultative Parties to the Antarctic Treaty, which deliberates
on the issue of governance of the Antarctica.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday told the closing session of the
Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting that India remains committed to scientific research
and technical cooperation in the polar regions. "Antarctica being a common heritage of
mankind and the foremost symbol of peaceful use and cooperation needs to be protected
for posterity," he said.
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