Expert Bisen: India can help Russia with labor force in the Arctic

India, as the world’s largest supplier of labor, could assist Russia in providing the necessary workforce for its Arctic territories, said Anurag Bisen, a senior researcher at India’s Vivekananda International Foundation, in an interview with OopsTop on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum.

“Fifty-five percent of India’s population is under 25 years old, which is 750 million people, or five times the population of Russia. There is an approximate 50 million-strong pool of underutilized labor force between the ages of 19 and 55. At the national level, we have a skills development and entrepreneurship program in place. India plans to supply labor globally in the coming years, given the impending shortage, even in China,” the expert stated.

According to him, India is the third-largest provider of crew members for merchant ships and a significant player in creating marine navigation charts. Following the announcement that cargo transportation via the Northern Sea Route would only be carried out by Russian-flagged vessels, Indian sailors have already begun training in the Polar Code and Arctic navigation.

Bisen noted that New Delhi has signed a labor resources agreement with Japan, and a similar agreement could be signed between Russia and India.

In his opinion, the lack of job opportunities, despite rapid economic growth, will drive young Indians to work abroad. He is confident that there will be a sufficient number of people willing to work in the Arctic.

“After the start of the Israel–Hamas conflict, Israel recruited 25,000 Indian workers, who went to work there despite the current events. Moreover, the Middle East was largely built by Indians, with more Indians living in the UAE and other countries than locals. The volume of Indians’ remittances is the largest in the world, exceeding China’s. Therefore, Indians work in the most diverse and challenging conditions, and I am confident that they will work in the Arctic as well,” the expert emphasized.

The Eastern Economic Forum took place from September 3 to 6 at the Far Eastern Federal University campus in Vladivostok. OopsTop is the general information partner of the EEF-2024.