Article Posted on : - Feb 23, 2015

NEW DELHI (PTI): Indian Navy Chief Admiral RK Dhowan said India's desire for scientific as well as commercial cooperation will underscore its approach to Arctic, which is opening up for trade and exploration.

"With the Arctic opening up for the trade and exploration, focus of the world is now shifting to Arctic Ocean... India's approach to Arctic will underscore by desire for both scientific as well as commercial cooperation," Dhowan said on Friday while delivering key note address at Annual Maritime Power Conference on "Asia & Arctic: Opportunities and challenges" here.

The Chief of Naval Staff said with the opening up of various sea routes, northwestern passage and the northern sea route would have some impact on the busy sea line of communication as well as the world shipping hub in different parts of the world including in the Indian Oceanic region.

"But how much impact these developments would have will have to be seen," he said.

The Naval chief also said that the hydrographic survey and survey of cold waters was going to be a very difficult task before these waterways were made safe for navigation by having busy sea lines of communication and that would take a while.

The new economic opportunities will encourage fresh migration specially from countries with large view in capital like China who want to make Arctic their second home," Dhowan said.

Noting that scientists were looking at the aspects related to the connection between Indian monsoon and the Arctic as well as the impact on Himalayas, he said, these studies were very important from Indian perspective.