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Mahesh

06/01/24 07:26 AM IST

Cabinet approves Memorandum of Understanding between Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC)

In News
  • The Union Cabinet has granted approval for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC) to jointly undertake the development of a small satellite.
Impact
  • MoU will help to establish a framework for cooperation between ISRO and MRIC on the development of a joint satellite as well as for cooperation on the use of the MRIC’s Ground Station.
  • Some of the subsystems for the joint satellite will be taken up through the participation of Indian industries and would benefit the industry.
  • Collaboration through this joint development of satellite will help in further ensuring continuous support from the Mauritius Government for the Indian ground station at Mauritius, which is critical for ISRO/India’s launch vehicle and satellite missions.
  • In addition, the joint satellite building will also help in ensuring MRIC support from their ground station for ISRO’s small satellite mission in future.
  • Some of the subsystems for the joint satellite will be taken up through the participation of Indian industries and thus may result in employment generation
  • The estimated cost for realisation of the joint satellite is Rs.20 crore, which will be borne by the Government of India.
Background
  • The space cooperation between India and Mauritius is dated way back in late 1980s when ISRO established a ground station in Mauritius for tracking and telemetry support for ISRO’s launch vehicle and satellite missions, under a country-level agreement signed in 1986 for this purpose.
  • The current space cooperation is being governed by the country-level agreement signed on 29.7.2009, which superseded the 1986 agreement mentioned above.
  • Based on the interest expressed by MRIC in jointly building a small satellite for Mauritius, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) requested ISRO to initiate discussions with MRIC on realizing an India-Mauritius joint satellite, with MEA funding for realisation, launch and operation of the joint satellite.
Source- PIB

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