India, Mauritius forge partnership to develop Joint Small Satellite, sign MoU

In a significant stride towards international space collaboration, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop and deploy a Joint Small Satellite. The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was apprised of the MoU earlier today. The agreement, signed on November 1, 2023, in Port Louis, Mauritius, falls under India’s ISRO, and Mauritius’ Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, as per a statement released by the Press Information Bureau. The primary focus of the MoU is the cooperative development of a Joint Small Satellite, marking a crucial step in the ongoing space cooperation between India and Mauritius. The collaboration will not only involve the joint realisation of the satellite but will also extend to the utilisation of MRIC’s Ground Station. The partnership aims to involve Indian industries in the development of certain subsystems for the joint satellite, fostering benefits for the industry and potentially generating employment opportunities. The estimated cost for the realization of this joint satellite is Rs 20 crore, solely funded by the Government of India, with no other financial exchanges between the involved parties. The strategic cooperation serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it establishes a framework for joint satellite development, ensuring continuous support from the Mauritius Government for ISRO/India’s ground station in Mauritius, crucial for launch vehicle and satellite missions. Secondly, the collaboration opens avenues for MRIC’s support from their ground station for future small satellite missions by ISRO. The MoU outlines an implementation schedule, with the joint realization of the small satellite set to be completed within a 15-month period. The signing of the MoU took place during the visit of the Minister of State (MEA) to Mauritius for the ‘Aapravasi Diwas’ event, reinforcing the commitment to enhancing space cooperation between the two nations. This collaboration builds upon the longstanding space partnership that began in the late 1980s when ISRO established a ground station in Mauritius, providing tracking and telemetry support for ISRO’s launch vehicle and satellite missions. The current space cooperation framework, governed by a country-level agreement signed in 2009, continues to evolve with this latest initiative, reflecting the shared commitment to advancing space capabilities between India and Mauritius.