India To Host 46th Antarctic Treaty Meeting

KOCHI, (IANS) – The Ministry of Earth Sciences, through the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, will host the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and the 26th Meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP 26) from May 20 to 30, here.

Over 350 delegates from more than 60 countries are expected to attend the ATCM and CEP meetings which are pivotal in the international community’s ongoing efforts to safeguard Antarctica’s fragile ecosystem and promote scientific research in the region.

Convened annually under the Antarctic Treaty System, these meetings serve as forums for Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties and other stakeholders to address Antarctica’s pressing environmental, scientific, and governance issues.

The Antarctic Treaty, signed in 1959 and entered into force in 1961, established Antarctica as a region dedicated to peaceful purposes, scientific cooperation, and environmental protection. Over the years, the Treaty has garnered widespread support, with 56 countries currently party to it.

India has been a Consultative Party to the Antarctic Treaty since 1983. It participates in the decision-making process along with the other 28 Consultative Parties to the Antarctic Treaty.

India’s first Antarctic research station, Dakshin Gangotri, was established in 1983.

India currently operates two year-round research stations: Maitri (1989) and Bharati (2012). The permanent research stations facilitate Indian Scientific Expeditions to Antarctica, which have been ongoing annually since 1981.

In 2022, India enacted the Antarctic Act, reaffirming its commitment to the Antarctic Treaty.