National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research
Also called: NCPOR · Topic: India and her Neighbours · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) is an autonomous institute in Goa. "Autonomous" means it runs its own affairs but works under a ministry, here the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). NCPOR is the body that carries out India's polar work. It plans and runs India's expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica, and it manages India's research stations there. It matters because it puts India's Arctic Policy (2022) into action. That policy puts science and climate study first, including how Arctic change is linked to the Indian monsoon.
Example
NCPOR runs Himadri, India's permanent Arctic research station at Ny-Ålesund in Svalbard (Norway), which has worked since July 2008. NCPOR also looks after IndARC, India's first dedicated Arctic ocean observatory. It is a mooring, a set of instruments anchored to the seabed, placed in Kongsfjorden in 2014.
Don't confuse with
- Empowered Arctic Policy Group: this inter-ministerial body oversees the Arctic Policy and is chaired by the Secretary, MoES. NCPOR does not set the policy. It carries out the field and research work.
- INCOIS (Hyderabad): this is also an MoES body, but it is an ocean information centre. It houses India's Tsunami Early Warning Centre. NCPOR handles polar expeditions and research stations.