Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: SCIENTISTS from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have partnered with India for the 45th Antarctic Expedition. A team from the UAE’s Khalifa University joined India’s 45th Antarctic Expedition at the Maitri research station. The joint team is studying Antarctica’s extreme, Mars-like landscapes to support research in polar science and planetary studies. The collaboration reflects deeper cooperation between the two countries in climate research, earth sciences and space-linked studies.
“Emirati researchers from Khalifa University joined India’s 45th Antarctic Expedition at Maitri station, exploring Antarctica’s Mars-like landscapes to advance polar and planetary science, ” the Indian Embassy wrote in a post on social media platform X.
The expedition’s research focus is in Amery Ice-Shelf/Lambert Glacier off Prydz Bay, which is being developed as a multi-institutional programme with special reference to the identification of orogenic and cratonic components to arrive at a refined India-Antarctica geological correlation, according to the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
The scientific cooperation between the two countries comes as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed between the Emirates Polar Programme and India’s National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), during the 15th session of the UAE-India Joint Committee Meeting in December 2024. The MoU aimed to enhance collaboration in polar and ocean research. The partnership also aims to support joint scientific missions in Antarctica and the Arctic, encourage data sharing, and promote research related to climate change, polar ecosystems, and earth system science.
The Emirates Polar Programme, launched in 2024, aims to strengthen the UAE’s presence in polar science and focuses on participating in international polar missions and contributing to global climate action. Through collaboration with India, the UAE seeks to deepen its understanding of polar environments while reinforcing international scientific cooperation.
