This book presents narratives perspectives and policies on the Arctic and brings to fore the
strategies of five Asian countries - China India Japan Republic of Korea and Singapore who
were granted the status of Permanent Observers in the Arctic Council in 2013. The book also
captures Arctic countries' reactions to Asian approaches and their expectations from these
countries.The melting of the polar sea-ice induced by climate change has placed the Arctic
region in the forefront of global scientific economic strategic and academic interest. The
discourse involves a number of issues such as claims of the littoral countries to the
continental shelves of the region the management and exploitation of its living and non-living
resources the rights and interests of indigenous communities and the prospects of new
ice-free shipping routes. The contemporary discourse also suggests that the Arctic region
presents challenges and offers opportunities for the international community.These issues have
given rise to new geopolitical geoeconomic and geostrategic dynamics amongst the Arctic
littorals and led to the growing interest of non-Arctic states in the affairs of the Arctic.
It is evident that the Asian countries have a variety of interests in the Arctic and the grant
of Permanent Observer status to these countries is an acknowledgement of their capabilities.
These countries are keen to explore opportunities in the Arctic and have begun to formulate
appropriate long-term national strategies. The preliminary approach of the Asian Observer
countries has rightly been to graduate from 'involvement' to 'engagement' in the Arctic which
seems to have generated significant interest amongst analysts. This book helps to understand
the approaches of various Arctic and non-Arctic stakeholders in light of the evolving dynamics
in the region.
