Antarctica is becoming a hotbed of geopolitical competition, with numerous countries establishing bases on the continent and vying for control. This scramble for Antarctica has significant implications for the Indo-Pacific region and global strategic balance.
The Breakdown
- The race for dominance in Antarctica has far-reaching consequences, not only in terms of access to valuable resources but also for military, navigational, and other strategic interests. The geopolitical competition in Antarctica is closely tied to the broader contest for power in the Arctic and reflects the shifting dynamics of global governance.
- Antarctica currently has at least 82 bases from over 30 countries, with China having five bases, including three built in the past decade.
- The region is not only rich in mineral and oceanic resources but also holds strategic importance for collecting signals intelligence and supporting global-reach military capabilities.
- The 1959 Antarctic Treaty, which aimed to demilitarize the continent and ensure freedom of scientific investigation, is being increasingly disregarded by nations with military and strategic interests in the area.
- The Antarctic Treaty did not renounce or diminish the territorial claims of contracting parties, leaving room for countries to assert their sovereignty over Antarctica in the future.
- The concept of territorial rights in Antarctica is based on land exposure, with nations like Australia, the UK, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, and France having significant stakes.
- The unraveling of Cold War and post-Cold War treaties, coupled with the decline of regional governance bodies, has created a vacuum that allows for unilateral power projection and the pursuit of national interests in Antarctica.
