[4] It is an autonomous institution of the Department of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India which is responsible for administering the Indian Antarctic Programme and maintains the Indian government's Antarctic research stations, Bharati and Maitri.

[4] NCPOR was established originally as NCAOR on 25 May 1998, with Dr. Prem Chand Pandey as the founding director.

[11] NCPOR complex is home to a special low-temperature laboratory and is setting up a National Antarctic Data Centre and a Polar Museum.

[14] On 9 October 2016, the NCPOR established a high altitude research station in Himalaya called Himansh.

[15][16] The station is situated above 13500 feet (> 4000 m) at a remote region in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh.