INTEGRATION OF BRICS+ COUNTRIES INTO THE ARCTIC AGENDA: THE CASE OF IN-DIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17072/2218-1067-2026-3-102-111Keywords:
Arctic agenda, BRICS+, Arctic Council, India, Russia, Northern Sea Route, Transarctic Transport CorridorAbstract
In the context of the Arctic Council's suspension and the expansion of BRICS+, non-Arctic states are gaining new opportunities to engage in the regional agenda. Using the case of India, this article examines the mechanisms and institutional frameworks for integrating BRICS+ countries into Arctic cooperation. It is shown that among the non-Arctic members of the grouping, India possesses the most fully developed Arctic strategy, including its own research station on Spitsbergen, observer status in the Arctic Council since 2013, and a package of bilateral projects with Russia. In contrast to India’s limited observer status in the Arctic Council, its participation in BRICS+ allows it to aspire to full membership and meaningful participation in decision-making. Three internal constraints of BRICS+ as an Arctic platform are identified: heterogeneity of interests among participants, the absence of legally binding regulatory frameworks, and latent competition (primarily in the India-China-Russia triangle). It is argued that India's 2026 BRICS chairmanship creates an institutional window to overcome these constraints, yet its realization will require a shift from declarations to legally binding agreements, as well as the development of clear regulatory frameworks for access to the Northern Sea Route.
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