Chapter 16 - Militarization of the Arctic

Abstract

Arctic, which was initially bestowed with a “military vacuum” prior to World War II, became a “military flank” in the 1950–70 period and, realized the threat from various stakeholders and to cope up with such power pressure graduated to a “military front” in the 1980s. Geographical and technological changes have necessitated the strengthening of military bases in the Arctic. Polar ice melts and contracts pose a great risk to sovereignty rights of Arctic nations, and it compels the Arctic, becoming a zone of increased great-power competition. The conflicts further enhance as the world is experiencing climate change, polar ice caps are melting, which help create new marine paths and routes around the Arctic that could be more accessible even by non-Arctic nations and thus a conflict of interests is expected. In this chapter, the issues and threats related to safety and security over the Arctic region are elaborated.