Indian Antarctic Program - India and Antarctic Treaty

India and Antarctic Treaty

After successful completion of First Indian Expedition to Antarctica, the Government of India evaluated the various advantageous and disadvantageous implications of joining the Antarctic Treaty System and a decision was taken that to accede to the Antarctic Treaty System.

The decision by India to join the Treaty was largely based on the following considerations :-

• That India would be able to exchange scientific information with other members of the Treaty and thereby enhance its analytical capabilities.
• That if elected, India would be able to participate in the meetings of the Consultative Committees and in doing so, will effectively project her own views as well as those of the non-aligned countries.
• That India would be able to participate in the ongoing discussions on the resources of Antarctica and ensure that any regime set up would be in harmony with India's overall policies and objectives.

Thus an Instrument of Accession, signed by the President of India was deposited with the Depository Government of United States of America in Washington D. C. on 1 August 1983. On 12 September 1983, within one month after accession, to the Treaty, at the Fifth Special Consultative Meeting of the Antarctic Treaty held in Canberra, the Notifications of India on its entitlement to participate as a full Consultative Member in the Consultative Meeting of the Antarctic Treaty was considered. The representative countries acknowledged by consensus that India had fulfilled the requirement established in Article IX, Paragraph 2 of the Antarctic Treaty and was entitled tobecome the fifteenth Consultative Member of the Antarctic Treaty.

India participated for the first time in XII Consultative Committee meeting held in Canberra, Australia from 13 September 1983 to 27 September 1983