Union Cabinet apprised of MoU with Netherlands on space cooperation

Both countries will work on space science, technology and applications

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been apprised of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between India and Netherlands for cooperation on exploration and usage of outer space for peaceful purposes.

According to the government's release, both the countries will work on space science, technology and applications. These include remote sensing of Earth, satellite communication and satellite based navigation, space science and planetary exploration, use of spacecraft and space systems and ground system, and application of space technology.

This MoU would lead to a joint working group with members from the Department of Space (DOS) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and the Netherlands Space Office (NSO), which will further work out the plan of action including the time-frame and the means of implementation.

It will provide impetus to explore new research activities and application possibilities.

DOS had a long association with International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente, Netherlands on capacity building; and with the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute for carrying out calibration and validation experiments on earth observation. Antrix Corporation, the commercial arm of the DOS, launched a Netherlands' satellite DELFI-C3 in April 2008.

Officials of ISRO and the NSO discussed on the modalities of building space cooperation between both the nations.