After enhancing ties with Brazil, Australia, ISRO eyes new opportunities with Italy

BENGALURU: Close on the heels of the launch of a Brazilian satellite by ISRO, India and Italy have decided to explore opportunities in the field of earth observation, space science and robotic and human exploration.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) held a bilateral meeting with Italian Space Agency (ASI) on virtual mode on Wednesday, as part of its strategy to strengthen international partnerships.

ISRO Chairman and Secretary in the Department of Space (DoS) K Sivan and ASI President Giorgio Saccoccia led their respective delegations.

"Both sides reviewed the on-going cooperation and agreed to form more thematic working groups to explore cooperation opportunities in earth observation, space science, robotic exploration and human exploration", Bengaluru- headquartered ISRO said in a statement.

On February 28, ISRO successfully launched the 637-kg Brazilian satellite Amazonia-1 on board PSLV-C51 rocket from Sriharikota spaceport.

Brazil's Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Marcos Pontes visited ISRO's Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh's Nellore district, about 100 kms from Chennai, and witnessed the launch.

The Minister and his delegation later had a meeting with an ISRO team led by Sivan, and both sides agreed to work together to enhance the bilateral space cooperation and take it to the higher level.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who heads the DoS, also had a virtual interaction with Pontes and officials of the Brazilian space agency.

"Brazil has requested India's support in procurement of material and systems for its launch vehicle programme," a DoS statement said. "Cooperation possibilities in future space science missions, utilising ISRO's PS4-orbital platform (PS4-OP), space weather studies etc. were discussed", the official statement said.