TASS, February 13. The International Winter School for Arctic Studies featured in Veliky Novgorod young researchers and experts from Russia, India, Kazakhstan, China, Indonesia, the US, and Finland, press service of the Project Office for Development of the Arctic (PORA) told TASS.

"The five thematic discussions on the Arctic's major issues featured young scientists: students and postgraduates of Political Sciences, International Relations, Ecology, Law and Journalism departments from India, Kazakhstan, China, Russia, Indonesia, as well as experts from India, China, Russia, the USA, and Finland," the press service said.

The Project Office's CEO Nikolay Doronin highlighted the growing role of BRICS countries in the international Arctic cooperation. "Over recent few years, we have seen a steady improvement of Russia's position in the Arctic. Western partners have stopped supplying equipment and technology, and over the past two years Russia had to turn to absolutely new markets both for sales and for technology supplies. Thus, multilateral cooperation in the Arctic, and first of all the role of the BRICS countries, surely are playing the key role," he said.

BRICS countries have different interests in the Arctic projects, he continued. "It is obvious to us what a strong Arctic program China has got. India, in terms of the Himalayas, is interested in developing the "three poles" concept, in comprehensive studies of perennially frozen soils. Arab countries show interest in developing logistics routes," the expert said.

A series of educational events for young scientists, under the general title "Arctic Dialogue: New Formats of International Cooperation" was organized by the Center for International and Regional Policy (CIRP) with the support of the Gorchakov Foundation and with the information support from the Project Office for Development of the Arctic (PORA).