India to Establish Maitri-2 Antarctic Research Station by 2029

India plans to build another research station in Antarctica called Maitri-2, which will be replacing the old Maitri station. The new array will be close to the research base in East Antarctica and accommodate up to 90 scientists. The move is expected to boost India’s research potential in Antarctica, which could involve larger research projects on climate change, glaciology, and biodiversity.

India to Set Up Maitri-2 Antarctic Research Station by 2029, Replacing Decades-Old Facility for Advanced Studies

The first station, Maitri, was established in 1988 and was only intended to be operational for ten years. It served long past its planned shelf-life, after which debate about its replacement has raged for nearly two decades. In 2017, Madhavan Nair Rajeevan, then Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, had said that a new station would be built in three to four years. However, progress was slow, however, and it was only on December 21, 2024, that Earth Sciences Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that Maitri-2 would become operational by 2029.

The creation of Maitri-2 is a major milestone in upgrading the Indian Antarctic research framework. The new station will provide better living and working conditions for researchers, facilitating year-round research activities despite the region’s harsh weather. “The best facilities will enable researchers to perform longer and continuous studies. Other than scientific achievements, Maitri-2 will also enhance India’s involvement in polar scientific studies at the global stage and help realise a further comprehension of Penguin-2’s contribution that will enable us to further understand the role and impact of Antarctica on the global climate system, it said.

This action was consistent with India’s pledge to both scientific exploration and working with others in the region to cooperate. As well as reaffirming the principles of the Antarctic Treaty System, by which the continent is reserved for peaceful and scientific use. India wishes to build the capacity for far-reaching Antarctic research, and by enhancing its capabilities, is looking to be a stronger player in climate research and environmental conservation globally.

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