Norway welcomes India in Arctic Council

Norway welcomed India and five other countries after they secured permanent observer status in the inter-governmental forum Arctic Council Wednesday.

In a Twitter posting, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide extended his welcome to Japan, South Korea, China, India, Singapore and Italy as observers, Xinhua reported.

Eide described as "a major breakthrough" the decision taken by the eight-member Arctic Council to have six new observers.

The council comprises Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Canada, Russia and the US -- the countries that ring the Arctic Circle.