Speaking at the inaugural session of India-Norway joint seminar on Polar Research here on Thursday he said : “The Polar regions – Antarctic and Arctic - are nature’s refrigerators on earth where 90% of the total ice on this planet is stored, 70% of the fresh water is locked in these ice sheets. The seasonal sea ice variations play a vital role in controlling the temperature of the globe. The snow, ice and clouds keep our earth cool whereas the oceans have the ability to absorb heat. It is heat and the density variations in the oceans that control the thermohaline circulation, which in turn governs the climatic patterns of different areas. Therefore, it is all the more imperative to monitor the Polar Regions through various scientific programmes and also through multidisciplinary collaborative programmes.”

The first Indian Arctic expedition in August 2007 has marked a beginning of long-term scientific research by Indian scientists in yet another arena of global scientific collaborative research in the Polar Regions. In 2008, a research base ‘Himadri’ station was established in Ny-Alesund to mark the IPY and give a thrust to our endeavour in Polar Science. At Ny-Alesund, investigations and research is also being carried out for long term monitoring of Kongsfjorden system; aerosol and precursor gases studies over Arctic region; diversity of Arctic cynobacteria; crustal deformation studies and assessment of the flora and fauna of the Arctic.

The minister said, “We reiterate the commitment of the Government of India in cooperation and collaboration with Norway in Polar Research programme and support through our scientific contributions. I thank the Norwegian support for the collaborative polar research endeavour. India has been pursuing scientific investigations in the Antarctica for about three decades now. However, a wide gap exists in our knowledge about the Arctic. This was in fact, hindering a much-needed bi-hemispherical approach to polar sciences. The Arctic Ocean and the surrounding regions are one of the most important areas that govern the earth’s climate.”

Antarctica, a unique landmass 98% of which is covered by ice was once contiguous with India as a part of Gondwanaland. This seventh continent, much larger than India and China put together has been a source of interest for the inquisitive minds for a long time. Remote and extreme, the Antarctica is an important key in the understanding of global and environmental concerns. Its unique features have provided scientists with special opportunities over the last 35 years to investigate the origin of the continents, the pollution of the globe, and changes in world climate.

The meteorological observations from the Antarctica have provided the insight that is essential in forecasting the weather patterns of the southern hemisphere and the circulation pattern of the world ocean system. The ice cores retrieved from the continent act as a repository of information on the palaeoclimate and environmental history of the earth. It is clear that the Antarctic science will increasingly contribute to our understanding of these and other global problems.

Since 1981, the Ministry of Earth Sciences (erstwhile Department of Ocean Development) has been launching scientific research expeditions on annual basis to the Antarctica. The environment of the Antarctica provides an opportunity to study atmospheric science, depletion of ozone, adaptation of organisms to extreme environment, etc. To carry out its scientific programmes, India established its first station at Dakshin Gangotri in 1983 followed by the second permanent station Maitri in 1989.India is establishing its third station at the Larsemann Hills area in the East Antarctica.

Minister of Research and Higher Education of Norway, Tora Aasland and Ambassador of Norway attended the seminar jointly organised by the Norwegian Polar Institute and the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research.