The Cabinet yesterday approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of the Republic of India and the Royal Government of Bhutan on cooperation in the peaceful use of the outer space apart from potential interest areas like remote sensing of the earth, satellite communication, and satellite-based navigation.
The MoU will also enable India and Bhutan to work on use of spacecraft and space systems and ground systems, application of space technology, space science and planetary exploration. A joint working group of members from DOS/ISRO and the Ministry of Communications of Bhutan will work out the further plan of action including the time-frame and means of implementation.
The signed MoU allows impetus to explore cooperation possibilities in various fields that will lead to developing a joint activity in the field of application of space technologies for the benefit of humanity. India and Bhutan have been discussing establishing formal space cooperation for quite some time with a template MoU for space cooperation being shared in 2017 for further taking by Bhutan.
The MoU was further discussed during bilateral meetings during February 2020 with a workable draft processed for interval approvals and finally signed by both sides on November 19, 2020.
