Indian Antarctic Programme commenced with the launching of the first expedition in 1981. Thereafter, India has been sending multi-disciplinary scientific expeditions to Antarctica on an annual basis. The first Indian research station 'Dakshin Gangotri' was commissioned in 1983 and replaced in 1988 by the indigenously designed second Indian permanent station, 'Maitri', was established. This station has adequate infrastructural facilities for conducting scientific research of contemporary nature in the icy continent. Even while, using Antarctica as a platform for conducting scientific experiments, India has always recognised the importance of preserving the pristine nature of this remote and unique continent. To uphold this commitment, India, an original votary of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, has ratified this Protocol in April 1996.

The Department provides a unique opportunity to scientists drawn from diverse fields and belonging to various national laboratories and institutes, to carry out experiments in all major branches of polar sciences. The logistic support to the expedition is being extended by the Indian Army and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratories.

The scientific and logisitic tasks accomplished by the Fifteenth Expedition (1995-96) and the objectives set for the Sixteenth Expedition launched in December 1996 are briefly enumerated below: