Arvind Gupta lectured on Geopolitical Implications of Climate Change

The Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) organised a seminar with Dr. Arvind Gupta, Director General, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi, India, on ”Geopolitical Implications of Climate Change” on Monday 11 June 2012, 14.00–16.00. Venue: PRIO, Hausmanns gate 7, Oslo, Norway.
The seminar was chaired by Kristian Berg Harpviken, Director, PRIO, and Leiv Lunde, Director, Fridtjof Nansens Institute (FNI), was the discussant. Dr. Gupta's presentation focused on the Arctic region, estimated to hold over 40 per cent of global reserves of oil and gas. Ice melting due to global warming will open up areas for exploring and extracting resources. The race for resources, as history has shown, leads to geopolitical competition and contest. The Chinese have started articulating a 'commons' position, that is, no nation has sovereignty over the Arctic and that the resource are for all to exploit and use. The Arctic Council compromising five littoral states – Norway, US, Canada, Denmark and Russia - would not like outside intervention. While the Arctic might seem not to be in India's strategic radar, it, however, does present an opportunity to articulate a view of ecological protection that is contrary to resource scramble. The Antarctic Treaty of 1959 freezing territorial claims and allowing for only research and scientific activities is a good guidepost.
On deputation to IDSA from the Indian Foreign Service, Dr. Gupta currently holds the rank of Additional Secretary to the Government of India. He has worked in the MEA in different capacities and served in diplomatic missions in Moscow, London and Ankara, and held the Lal Bahadur Shastri Chair on National Security at  IDSA from 2008 to 2011. At the IDSA he headed the South Asia and Internal Security Clusters and edits the Institute’s flagship bi-monthly journal, Strategic Analysis. More information.