The Arctic is no longer a distant, frozen frontier, it is fast becoming the next great theatre of global trade and power politics. China’s new Arctic shipping route has accelerated that shift, forcing India to confront hard questions about its maritime readiness in an era of polar commerce.
China’s Polar Silk Road: Speeding up trade
In September, Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in China launched the world’s first China-Europe Arctic Express, with the container vessel Istanbul Bridge completing its maiden voyage to Felixstowe, UK, in just 18 days. This route significantly shortens shipping times compared to the 25 days via China-Europe Railway Express, over 40 days via the Suez Canal, and 50-plus days around the Cape of Good Hope.
The Arctic Express cuts business inventory needs by 40% and reduces carbon emissions by about 50% relative to traditional shipping routes. It also avoids politically sensitive or congested areas, offering a safer and more stable route for global commerce.
China’s initiative is part of its broader “Polar Silk Road” strategy, launched in 2018 with Russia, aimed at establishing a reliable, rapid maritime corridor through the Arctic to connect Europe and Asia. This aligns with Beijing’s push to be recognised as a “Near-Arctic State” and a major stakeholder in Arctic affairs.
Why this is a wake-up call for India
China’s Arctic shipping push exposes a growing strategic gap in India’s maritime ambitions. While Beijing is already operationalising the Arctic through the “Polar Silk Road”, India remains largely focused on research access and alternative land-sea corridors. China’s ability to move goods from Asia to Europe in under three weeks fundamentally reshapes global logistics—and risks marginalising slower, traditional routes India still depends on. Projects like INSTC and IMEC are vital, but they cannot substitute for direct Arctic access. Without rapid expansion of port capacity, shipbuilding, and polar capability, India risks watching China set the rules in a new maritime frontier.
Global trade routes and choke points
Key maritime trade routes underpin global commerce:
Suez Canal: Connects Asia and Europe; crucial for oil, gas, and container transport.
Panama Canal: Links Atlantic and Pacific, offering a shortcut between Asia and the US East Coast.
Strait of Malacca: Vital intra-Asia link connecting China, India, and Japan.
Strait of Hormuz: Crucial for Middle East oil exports.
North Atlantic Route: Connects Western Europe and the US East Coast.
English Channel & Danish Straits: Facilitate trade across Europe.
Choke points like the Suez Canal, Panama Canal, Strait of Malacca, and Bab el-Mandeb are critical but vulnerable. Any blockage can disrupt trade, highlighting the strategic advantage of Arctic routes as alternatives.
Arctic opportunities and risks
The Arctic covers over one-sixth of Earth’s landmass and is rich in natural resources, including nearly 20% of global oil and gas. Melting ice due to global warming is opening new commercial routes, but the region remains challenging, with thick ice ridges and harsh conditions.
Unlike Antarctica, the Arctic is governed by sovereign nations, coordinated under the Arctic Council, which includes the US, Canada, Russia, Norway, and other Arctic states. Observer countries like India, which gained permanent observer status in 2013, use this platform to advance scientific and strategic interests.
The region is already militarised. Russia and the US maintain Arctic bases and surveillance networks, while nuclear-powered icebreakers support strategic and commercial operations. Russia’s Northern Fleet dominates the Arctic, with the US and other states maintaining counter-presence.
Key Arctic Sea routes
Three main Arctic routes are under focus:
Northern Sea Route (NSR): Along Russia’s Arctic coast, this route reduces Asia-Europe distance from 21,000 km (via Suez) to 12,800 km, saving 10–15 days. Extensively used for resource transport, it has strong commercial potential.
Northwest Passage (NWP): Through Canada’s Arctic Archipelago, it connects the Atlantic and Pacific, cutting transit from 24,000 km (via Panama) to about 13,600 km. Depth and sovereignty issues remain challenges.
Transpolar Sea Route (TSR): Central Arctic route linking the Bering Strait to Murmansk; largely theoretical due to ice conditions but holds potential for the future.
These routes offer faster, safer alternatives, reducing shipping times, costs, and environmental impact.
India’s Arctic presence
India maintains the Himadri research station in Svalbard, Norway, operational since 2008, and the underwater observatory IndARC. Research focuses on glaciers, climate, space weather, and carbon cycling. These efforts link Arctic dynamics with India’s monsoon and environmental studies.
India’s Arctic policy, launched in 2022, outlines objectives in scientific research, resource exploration, environmental protection, and economic opportunities. Strategic partnerships, especially with Russia, are central to India’s Arctic engagement.
India’s alternative trade corridors
India is also focusing on global connectivity to supplement Arctic access:
International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC): A 7,200 km multimodal route linking India to Northern Europe via Iran, Russia, and Central Asia. It shortens trade times, reduces costs by ~$2,500 per 15 tonnes of cargo, and moves 1.8–2 million tonnes annually.
India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC): Connects India with the Arabian Gulf and Europe via rail, sea, and road. It reduces transit times by 40% and promotes economic growth and energy infrastructure.
Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor: Direct maritime link to Russia’s Far East, reducing transit from 40 to 24 days, offering an alternative to Suez and Black Sea routes, critical during global crises.
These corridors complement India’s Arctic strategy, ensuring faster, safer, and more cost-effective trade networks.
Strategic competition in the Arctic
China, the US, and Russia are intensifying their Arctic engagement. China invests in icebreakers, research institutes, and military capabilities, while Russia maintains a dominant Northern Fleet. The US, historically active since Alaska’s purchase in 1867, partners with Canada and Northern Europe to safeguard interests.
India, as a growing global power, aims to maintain a foothold in Arctic geopolitics and resource exploration while leveraging maritime and overland corridors to boost trade. Cooperation and careful engagement remain key to avoiding conflict amid rising strategic competition.
Looking ahead
The Arctic is rapidly transforming into a hub of commercial, scientific, and strategic importance. For India, China, and other nations, it is a space for innovation, trade, and influence. Ensuring sustainable development, protecting sovereignty, and strengthening partnerships will be critical as global powers navigate the emerging Arctic “great game.”
Meanwhile, initiatives like INSTC, IMEC, and the Chennai-Vladivostok corridor ensure that India remains connected to global trade networks, mitigating risks from geopolitical disruptions while pursuing economic growth.
The Arctic and associated trade corridors are no longer peripheral—they are central to the future of global commerce, strategic influence, and international cooperation.
