India Joins China, South Korea in Arctic Shipping Push: Why the North Is Becoming Asia’s New Trade Front

India is preparing to send its first pilot cargo vessel through Russia’s Northern Sea Route in 2027, putting it alongside China and South Korea as Asian economies test the Arctic corridor as a seasonal alternative for Europe-bound trade.

“In 2027, we are planning to have the first pilot vessel running through the Northern Sea Route. We are seeing huge possibilities,” S. Venkatesapathy, a joint secretary in India’s shipping ministry, told the Arctic-Regions Forum in Arkhangelsk, Russia, on Aug. 13. The remarks were reported by The Week following a statement from India’s shipping ministry at the forum.

The announcement follows China’s transition from trial voyages to planned, seasonal container services in the Arctic, and the upcoming launch of the first government-backed Arctic container trial from South Korea’s port of Busan on Aug. 22.

The developments collectively suggest that an increased interest is developing in Asian countries to use this route to potentially reduce selected NEE time significantly during the Arctic navigation season.

India Moves From Arctic Research Toward Commercial Shipping

In March 2022, New Delhi issued its Arctic Policy, which includes transportation and connectivity among six policy areas, along with scientific research, environmental protection, economic development, governance and international cooperation, and national capacity building.

The planned 2027 voyage would represent a shift from predominantly scientific engagement toward testing commercial maritime connectivity.

India is also developing the Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor, a sea link between India’s east coast and Russia’s Far East. The Indian Directorate General of Shipping’s 2026 maritime report identifies the corridor as one of the country’s major connectivity projects and lists potential Russian cargoes including crude oil, LNG and timber.

The NSR could therefore be viewed as a northern extension of India’s existing maritime relationship with Russia rather than a standalone shipping project.

Russia and India have already formed a working group on NSR cooperation. The first meeting of the Russian and Indian working groups took place in New Delhi in October 2024, where Rosatom, the Russian operator of the nuclear icebreaker fleet, also discussed the NSR infrastructure operator, the company said.

China Turns the Arctic Into a Scheduled Shipping Route

Sea Legend Shipping began its new China-Europe Arctic Express service on Aug. 15, with the Dubai Tower container ship sailing from Ningbo-Zhoushan to Felixstowe, UK. In the Arctic season of 2026, the company is planning to sail a total of 8 times a week, with 7 vessels.

According to China Daily the service will be scheduled to take about 20 days from Ningbo to the United Kingdom as opposed to the 40 days it takes for traditional China-Europe shipping via the Suez Canal. The route will also link up cargo onward to Europe, such as the Netherlands, Germany and Poland.

The scheduled service follows Sea Legend’s 2025 trial, when the Istanbul Bridge completed the Ningbo-Felixstowe voyage in about 20 days.

For China, the route also offers another way to diversify maritime trade corridors. Beijing has promoted Arctic cooperation with Russia as part of its broader “Polar Silk Road” concept, while Chinese shipping companies have increased their activity on the NSR.

Sea Legend’s 2026 schedule runs from August into early October, reflecting the limited period in which commercial navigation is practical.

South Korea Launches Its First Arctic Trial

PanStar Line’s PanStar Acro is set to leave Busan New Port on Aug. 22 for a test trip through the NSR to Europe. It is expected that the ship will stop in Felixstowe, Rotterdam and Gdansk before returning to South Korea.

PanStar was chosen by South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to operate the pilot program. The project was announced by the government as a part of its strategy to transform Busan into a hub city for Arctic shipping.

Polar voyages will gain experience and operational data through the pilot, the ministry stated in its 2026 plan. South Korea will also back the development of ice-breaking ships and polar maritime experts.

The government’s strategy is not limited to one voyage. President Lee Jae Myung said in May that Korean seafarers should prepare for an emerging “Northern Sea Route era” as the country seeks to strengthen its position in global shipping.

Arctic Cargo Is Growing, But From a Small Base

In April, Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev reported that the cargo volumes on the route were 15% higher than in 2025 and that he forecasted over 40 million of cargo for 2026. He noted that the company is still building terminals, transshipment facilities, energy facilities, sea channels and other infrastructure on the route.

Cargo tonnage on the NSR rose by 15% in the first half of 2026 compared to the first half of 2025, according to more recent data provided by the Norwegian-based news site High North News. Russia is expecting cargo volumes to reach 40 million metric tons for the whole year, while, through the route, Russia-China cargo has reached over 5 million tons for the first six months of this year.

Transit journeys are also still quite constrained, compared to more traditional international shipping. According to data from the Norwegian Centre for High North Logistics, there were 107 NSR transit voyages in 2025 compared to 97 in 2024. Over the same time period, the number of container ship transits rose from 11 to 15.

The NSR’s overall cargo volumes are heavily influenced by Russian resource shipments, while international container transit remains a much smaller segment.

Why the Route Is Attractive

The NSR runs along Russia’s Arctic coastline and provides a shorter maritime connection between Northeast Asia and Northern Europe.

For China-Europe container shipping, recent trial voyages have demonstrated transit times of around 20 days. This compares with approximately 40 days through the Suez Canal under conventional routing, although actual times vary with vessel speed, weather, port calls, ice conditions and the chosen route.

The attraction has increased as shipping companies face disruption and higher risks around traditional routes in the Middle East and Red Sea.

But the Arctic route is not a simple replacement for Suez. Ships need to meet polar-navigation requirements, insurance arrangements are more complicated and ice conditions can change quickly. Russia also controls the NSR’s navigation administration and provides critical infrastructure, including nuclear-powered icebreakers.

Climate change has made parts of the Arctic more accessible by reducing sea-ice coverage, but that does not eliminate operational risks. The navigation season remains seasonal and conditions can vary significantly from year to year.

Russia Remains Central to the Route

The growing interest from India, China and South Korea also increases the importance of Russia’s role.

Rosatom is the infrastructure operator responsible for navigation management, permits, navigational support and hydrographic services along the NSR. Its 2024 report said it had eight nuclear icebreakers in its fleet and issued more than 1,300 navigation permits that year, including 124 for foreign-flagged vessels.

Western sanctions on Russian energy, shipbuilding and related services can affect the availability and cost of vessels, insurance and supporting infrastructure. The European Union has also tightened restrictions on Russian LNG. Under the EU’s current rules, remaining Russian LNG imports under long-term contracts are prohibited from Jan. 1, 2027.

The change could alter the direction and composition of some Arctic energy cargo flows, although its ultimate impact on shipping volumes will depend on trade contracts, sanctions compliance and alternative markets.

A New Asian Arctic Competition

India’s 2027 plan comes at a point when China has already established a scheduled seasonal service and South Korea is conducting its first commercial trial.

China is testing a repeatable container service between manufacturing centers and Europe. South Korea is building experience around Busan while supporting a broader Arctic maritime strategy. India is seeking to connect its emerging Chennai-Vladivostok corridor with Russia’s Arctic network.

The NSR remains a seasonal and relatively small component of global trade rather than a replacement for the Suez Canal.

China has moved to scheduled service; South Korea is testing the route and India has set a date for its own pilot. Whether those experiments develop into sustained commercial networks will depend on costs, ice conditions, insurance, sanctions and the ability of Russia and its Asian partners to build reliable Arctic infrastructure.