No longer a remote region. A series of high-level events in Rome—including “Arctic Connections 2025. Space in the Arctic” and the bilateral seminar “Italy and Japan: Common Perspectives in the Arctic”—have signalled Italy’s deepening Arctic interest.
- Both were co-hosted by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF), the Italian Society for International Organization (SIOI), the Italian Navy, and other partners.
- Fabrizio Bozzato, a researcher at the Ocean Policy Research Institute of SPF and a key figure in organising both events, told Decode39, “The Arctic is a geopolitical and environmental hinge point—where maritime flows, climate change, strategic postures, and national ambitions converge.”
Italy’s Arctic ambitions. Rome’s intentions go beyond science diplomacy.
- The Italian government is preparing for the “Arctic Circle Rome Forum – Polar Dialogue” in January 2026.
- The forum will be a key step in boosting Italy’s role as a second-tier yet diplomatically relevant Arctic stakeholder —a status it shares with Japan.
- “Italy and Japan may not be Arctic states, but they’re acting with growing coherence and purpose,” Bozzato noted.
- “Not just because of their long-standing tradition of scientific cooperation, but also their willingness to contribute to alternative forms of governance and cooperation.”
Zoom out. Italy’s Arctic diplomacy fits a broader strategic realignment in a fragmented world order.
- Japan has proposed the Blue Infinity Loop—an integrated maritime governance model that sees the Arctic as a central pivot in a connected oceanic system.
- “It’s not an isolated region,” Bozzato explained. “It’s a twisted point where maritime flows, climate change, and shifting alliances intersect.
- This view can influence Italy’s maritime policies across the Indo-Mediterranean and into the Pacific.”
State of play. Italy’s strategic positioning mirrors Japan’s—both countries aim to act as “connectors” in a possible new Arctic diplomatic geometry.
- “A more inclusive platform could restore space for innovative diplomatic solutions,” Bozzato said.
- “Actors like Italy, Japan, India, or even Singapore—capable of blending scientific diplomacy, economic logic, and multilayered soft power—are increasingly central.”
Between the ice. Bozzato frames Italy–Japan cooperation as a prototype for “ocean diplomacy.”
- “Italo-Japanese collaboration can become a laboratory of ocean diplomacy,” he said.
- “One that doesn’t seek perimeter strength through blocs, but relational strength through connections.”
What we’re watching. Also, India’s Arctic strategy is shifting—hinting at a pivot from Moscow toward Nordic and EU partners (Italy?).
- The India Forum on the Arctic will be a litmus test for New Delhi’s intentions in the coming days.
- Its outcome could define how—and with whom—India will engage in the future Arctic order.
- Italy’s Arctic turn, in sync with Japan’s vision and potentially India’s trajectory, reflects a broader shift: the rise of medium powers in shaping new, fluid, and more inclusive polar governance—not through dominance, but through connection.
