Boost to bilateral space cooperation: India to fund launch of Nepal’s Munal satellite
| 2024-08-11
Ministry of External Affairs and NewSpace India Limited have signed an MoU to help launch Nepal’s Munal satellite.
Munal, an indigenous satellite developed in Nepal, aims to build a vegetation density database of the earth's surface
In a major boost to bilateral space cooperation, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and state-run NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to fund the launch of Nepal’s Munal satellite through grant assistance. The satellite is expected to be launched soon on NSIL’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, the Ministry of External Affairs said after the MoU was signed on Saturday (August 10, 2024).
NSIL is the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Munal, an indigenous satellite developed in Nepal under the aegis of the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), aims to build a vegetation density database of the earth's surface, the MEA said. Antarikchya Pratishan Nepal (APN), a Nepalese space startup, has assisted Nepalese students in the design and fabrication of this satellite.
The MoU was signed on Saturday by MEA’s Joint Secretary (North) Anurag Srivastava and NSIL Director Arunachalam A. Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) Secretary Dr. Rabindra Prasad Dhakal, Nepali Embassy Chargé d'affaires Dr. Surendra Thapa, and APN Founder Dr. Abhas Maskey were also present on the occasion.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar witnessed the exchange of the Launch Service Agreement for the Munal Satellite between NSIL and the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) during his visit to Kathmandu on January 4, 2024.
The signing of the MoU between MEA and NSIL came a day before India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri arrived in Nepal on his maiden visit to the country after assuming charge.
Announcing the visit, the MEA said that bilateral cooperation between the two countries had further strengthened in recent years with continued momentum in high level exchanges and major infrastructure and connectivity projects in Nepal having been completed and new ones undertaken with Government of India’s assistance. “This visit of Foreign Secretary will be an opportunity to further advance our bilateral ties,” the MEA noted.
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