International Cooperation

OS continues to forge bilateral and multilateral relations with space agencies and space related bodies with the aim of taking up new scientific and technological challenges, defining international frameworks for exploitation and utilisation of outer space for peaceful purposes, refining space policies and building and strengthening existing ties with other countries. DOS also takes interest in providing expertise and services for helping other developing countries in the applications of space technology.

Formal Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) or Agreements are in place with Australia, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, China, EUMETSAT, European Space Agency (ESA), France, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mauritius, Mongolia, Myanmar, the Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Russia, Sweden, Thailand, U.K., Ukraine, U.S.A and Venezuela.

During the year, two memoranda of understanding between ISRO and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of United States were signed on cooperation concerning NASA’s Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar Instrument and Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) Instrument on board ISRO’s Chandrayaan-1 mission. The second Joint Working Group on space cooperation between India and USA is proposed to be held in 2007 towards renewing and strengthening the process set in motion by the Prime Minister of India and the President of USA in 2001.

The other important agreements signed during the year are:
• Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Russian Federation on the Indian access to navigation signals of the Russian Global Navigation Satellite System GLONASS for peaceful purposes.
• Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Russian Federation on Indian access to a part of the Russian Global Navigation Satellite System GLONASS Radio Frequency Spectrum.

India and Russia have made progress in their cooperation in the development and use of the Russian GLONASS navigation satellite programme. Two agreements have been signed with Russia on India’s access to GLONASS navigation signals and the use of a part of the GLONASS spectrum for wide area augmentation. ISRO and the Federal Space Agency, Russia have also agreed to develop an experimental satellite called YOUTHSAT in which students from universities on both sides will be involved in developing scientific instruments and analysing the data.

The Indo-French joint satellite mission, Megha-Tropiques for the study of the tropical atmosphere and climate related to aspects such as monsoons, cyclones, etc, is making progress. The major instrument on the satellite called MADRAS will be jointly developed by ISRO and CNES, and two other instruments called SCARAB and SAPHIR will be provided by CNES. Indian Space Research Organisation will use the well-proven IRS satellite bus, provide a PSLV launch, operate the satellite, collect and distribute the data. There will also be scientific cooperation in validating and calibrating the instruments and analysing the data. ISRO and CNES are studying a joint satellite mission called SARAL for which CNES will provide a radar altimeter instrument called ALTIKA and an onboard relay instrument for the international ARGOS data collection system. ISRO will provide the satellite platform, launch and operations.

ISRO’s OCEANSAT-2 satellite will also carry an atmospheric sounder called ROSA from Italy apart from the main Indian payloads, namely, OCM and imaging scatterometer.

ISRO and the Israel Space Agency (ISA) continued with the development of scientific and technical interfaces for flying an ultraviolet astronomy telescope from Israel called TAUVEX on ISRO’s GSAT-4 experimental geostationary satellite.

ISRO and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) are working on the development of the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) planned on ISRO’s multi wavelength astronomy satellite Astrosat.

ISRO organised a seminar on space technology applications as a part of Technology Summit by the Government in New Delhi in which the technology partner was ASEAN.
India plays an active role in several international bodies such as the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN-COPUOS), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP), the international COSPAS-SARSAT system for search and rescue operations, the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), the Inter Agency Debris Coordination Committee (IADC), the Space Frequency Coordination Group (SFCG), the Coordinating Group on Meteorological Satellites (CGMS), the International Global Observing Strategy (IGOS), the International Space University (ISU), the Asian Association for Remote Sensing (AARS), the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS), etc. After becoming a partner in the International Charter for Space and Major Disasters along with CNES, ESA, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and NOAA, ISRO is working together with the other partners in planning to provide satellite data for the management of natural disasters.

India has been selected by the International Astronautical Federation to host the International Astronautical Congress 2007 (IAC 2007). The event, organised by the International Asronautical Federation in cooperation with the International Academy of Astronautics and International Institute of Space Law, is an annual event at which leading astronautical engineers and scientists meet. With major sponsorship from DOS, Astronautical Society of India will organise IAC 2007 during September 23-28, 2007 at Hyderabad.

Sharing of Experience in Space (SHARES) is a scheme ISRO has set up under which training in different applications of space technology is being provided to scientists from other developing countries. According to the general arrangement under this scheme, selected candidates will be provided with living expenditure and allowances by DOS, while the international travel will have to be borne by the sponsoring country.

The Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Asia and the Pacific (CSSTE-AP) has been set up in Dehra Dun, India, under the initiative of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UN OOSA) and offers ten month post graduate diploma courses in Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems (every year starting in October), Satellite Communication (every alternate year starting in July), Satellite Meteorology and Global Climate (every alternate year starting in July) and Space and Atmospheric Studies (every alternate year starting in July). Following the course, candidates have the opportunity to carry out research in their own country for one year leading finally to the award of a Master’s Degree from the Andhra University. There are several international agencies apart from the Government of India providing support for candidates participating in the CSSTE-AP courses.