India re-elected as observer to Arctic Council

India has been re-elected as an observer to intergovernmental forum Arctic Council, officials said Tuesday.

The Arctic Council promotes cooperation, coordination and interaction among Arctic states, the region's indigenous communities and other inhabitants on common issues, particularly on sustainable development and environmental protection.

"At the 11th Arctic Council ministerial meeting at Rovaniemi with Vani Rao Ambassador, Finland. Happy news. India re-elected as Observer of the Arctic Council. India committed to do more contributions in the Arctic Council (sic)," M Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences tweeted.

Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States are members of the Arctic Council.

Indian researchers have been studying whether there is a co-relation between Indian monsoon and the Arctic region.

India's National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, an institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, has set up a research station, 'Himadri', in Svalbard in Norway that works on the mass balance of glaciers, the effect of the warming on the marine system, the formation of clouds and precipitation, and the effect on biodiversity.