ABSTRACT
What stakes do Asian states have in the Arctic? How will their rising involve-ment affect Arctic governance? China, India and other leading Asian states have been paying increasing attention to Arctic affairs. The process that led up to their achieving permanent observer status in the Arctic Council in 2013 exposed worries among some regional actors over sovereignty issues, the visibility of indigenous concerns, and Arctic environmental protection.1 Examining Asian involvement in international regimes relevant to the Arctic links up to the larger question of what conditions can induce those operating an institution to accommodate outside demands for participation and influence. Stakeholder theory aims to shed light on this issue, but, as this article shows, due to the multiplicity of institutions relevant to Arctic governance, specifying the conditions that drive accommodation requires attention to the role that each institution plays within the broader institutional complex.
