In an article under the above caption Shyam Saran, a former Foreign Secretary, has aptly raised the issue of the next Geo Political Battle Ground by the Individual States of respective nations having an interest in arctic region. When Antarctic region is being properly explored by several countries under the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, the arctic region is yet to be taken up for staking claims by several interested nations on 13 million sq.kms of mostly ice bound seas on the arctic circle comprising some 21 million sq.kms. It is pointed out that the said Arctic region may hold over 40% of the current global reserves of oil and gas. Other significant reserves of coal, zinc & silver are also a possibility. Since the major portions of the Ice Mountains are melted, the tourism industry would also flourish. For instance, in 2010, over 50,000 tourists sailed the crystal waters of hitherto forbidden zone. Shyam Saran correctly makes out a case for India to enter into all negotiations on the Arctic Ocean undertaken by the concerned and contesting nations under the UN Agenda. Sooner the better!
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