... multilateral initiatives. Speakers also examined the interests of China and India in the Arctic and the prospects for Russia’s engagement with them and other partners in the region.
A significant part of the discussion focused on risks and challenges facing Russia in the Arctic, particularly issues of national security, the growing military and political activity of NATO countries in the region, and other topics on the current agenda.
Participants included:
Elena Karpinskaya, RIAC Director of Programs
Natalia Vyakhireva,...
On August 25, 2025, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and Beijing Club for International Dialogue organized a roundtable “China-Russia Relations: Arctic Dialogue”
On August 25, 2025, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and Beijing Club for International Dialogue organized a roundtable “China-Russia Relations: Arctic Dialogue”.
During the event, Russian and Chinese experts discussed ...
... of the corridor requires political will from all sides and only in that case it can start to function properly.
Arctic as a new venue for Russia-India connectivity efforts
The year of 2022 became a turning point for international cooperation in the Arctic. Russia used to prioritise interaction with the Arctic states, but switched to a multi-vector policy in the Arctic in the new conditions. On the one hand, Russia remains open to dialogue within the Arctic Council, which is, unfortunately, no longer functioning ...
... untapped potential. Situated in the Arctic Circle, Murmansk is more than just the world’s largest city above the 68th parallel; it is a hub for geopolitics, economics, and scientific advancements.
Source: Unsplash
Murmansk plays a crucial role in Russia’s Arctic strategy, serving as a key port for the Northern Sea Route (NSR). This ice-free harbor is essential for global trade, reducing transit times between Europe and Asia by up to 40% compared to traditional routes via the Suez Canal. According to official ...
... national Strategic Naval Forces that are an organic part of the country’s nuclear triad; this access has to be preserved at any cost to maintain credible nuclear deterrence vis-a-vis the United States and its NATO allies.
A conventional challenge to the Russian Arctic could theoretically emerge either in the East, with an adversary entering the region through the Bering Strait, or in the West, from the NATO bases in North Atlantic of from Norway. The ongoing climate change and the Arctic ice melting may further ...
... leveraging their energy technology expertise. The potential for future collaboration in these areas underscores the long-term prospects of the Russia-Turkey Arctic cooperation.
Notably, Turkish construction companies have assumed a pivotal role in key Russian Arctic infrastructure projects, such as 'Yamal LNG' and 'Arctic LNG 2,' deploying hundreds of engineers. These projects are instrumental for the development of Russia's Arctic resources. Turkish shipyards, particularly Kuzey Star Shipyard, have secured ...
...
Recently on July 8, Narendra Modi, the now re-elected Prime Minister of India, visited Russia and held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Could you please comment on this visit and on the overall vision Modi’s government has for the Arctic and Russia-India relations in the Arctic?
D Suba Chandran:
Polar Regions Offer Enough Space for India and Russia to Map What Nations Can Do Together
India's current government took an important step by releasing India's Arctic Policy in March 2022. However,...
... Russia, building icebreakers is not a matter of geopolitical choice or of great power hype, but an absolute social and economic necessity. Out of the overall 4 million people who currently reside north of the Arctic Circle, approximately half live in Russia. The largest Arctic cities also happen to be Russian—Murmansk, Norilsk, Vorkuta, to mention a few. The country desperately needs to keep all-season communication lines in operation, and a diverse and fully operational fleet of icebreakers is a natural way to keep ...
... Arctic. So, to sum up, India-Russia areas of cooperation in the Arctic could include shipbuilding, mining, hydrocarbons, port infrastructure building, digital connectivity, and tourism. India should also have regular institutionalised dialogue with Russia on Arctic matters.
Do you see any potential for developing regional ties between India’s provinces and Russia’s Arctic regions?
Yes, there is a lot of potential in this regard. ‘
Paradiplomacy’
is an important element to improve mutual understanding ...
... World Politics of St. Petersburg State University; Daryana Maksimova, Head of the International Research Department of the Institute of Foreign Philology and Regional Studies at the Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University and Executive Secretary of the Russian-Asian Arctic Research Consortium; Bhagwat Jawahar Vishnu, Associate Professor at Northern Arctic Federal University, Natalia Vyakhireva, RIAC Expert and Program Manager; and Natalia Markushina, Professor at St. Petersburg State University.
Valery Konyshev, ...
