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Indian and Russian officials have discussed Indian-Russian cargo transit along the Northern Sea route, joint projects in Arctic shipbuilding and possible training of Indian sailors for polar navigation.
India and Russia are in discussions on joint shipbuilding projects in the Arctic region, training of Indian sailors on polar navigation and other projects connected with the Northern Sea Route, said Russian integrated nuclear sector major Rosatom.
The Russian government has appointed Rosatom as the infrastructure operator of the Northern Sea route.
Indian and Russian officials recently held a meeting where they discussed Indian-Russian cargo transit along the Northern Sea route, joint projects in Arctic shipbuilding and possible training of Indian sailors for polar navigation.
It is said Indian shipyards may be involved in making non-nuclear icebreakers. Rosatom builds and operates nuclear icebreakers in Russia.
The working group also drafted a memorandum of understanding between the Indian and Russian governments for cooperation in cargo shipping in the waters of the Northern Sea route, said Rosatom.
The Northern Sea route is about 5,600 km of route in Arctic waters under Russia's exclusive economic zone. It is the shortest shipping route connecting the western part of Eurasia and the Asia-Pacific region.
At the global nuclear sector conference AtomExpo in Sochi, Russia, early this year, an official at the Indian embassy in Russia had said the Northern Sea route will be another ocean route for India to add to its energy security.
According to him when Russia's Vladivostok is connected with Chennai it will help connect eastern India with Russia.
Now the route is used when ice melts. However Russia believes the route is navigable throughout the year owing to climate change and this can be an alternate route to the Suez Canal.
The Vladivostok-Chennai sea route will save about 40% time and cost.
India's interest in the Northern Sea route is to make it a part of its Sagarmala -- port-led development of cities -- initiative.
On July 8, 2024, when Prime Minister Narendra D Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin, India and Russia announced cooperation in developing maritime transport along the Northern Sea route.
To this end, theY expressed their readiness to create a joint working body within the framework of the intergovernmental commission on cooperation on the Northern Sea Route.
Rosatom oversees the development of the Northern Sea route until 2035.
One of Rosatom's strategic goals is to make the Northern Sea route an effective shipping artery connecting Europe, Russia and the Asia-Pacific region.
According to Rosatom, the ongoing project is the preparation of a federal project to develop the Great Northern Sea route a transport corridor from St Petersburg and Kaliningrad to Vladivostok in Russia.
Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at venkatacharijagannathan@gmail.com
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com