Chennai

Indian space agency ISRO and its Argentinian counterpart (CONAE) are holding talks to explore the potential opportunities for expanding space relations between the two nations.

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Earlier, Dr Hugo Javier Gobbi, Ambassador of the Argentine Republic to India called on Dr S Somanath, Chairman, ISRO and Secretary, Department of Space at ISRO Headquarters in Bengaluru, 

The ISRO chief also extended an invitation to the Argentinian ambassador to participate in the G20 Space Leaders Economy Meeting (SELM) precursor event in Shillong in April 2023. The ambassador also expressed the interest of Argentina's Minister of Science, Technology & Innovation to visit ISRO in July 2023.

ISRO is not just collaborating with established space powers such as Russia, the USA, Japan and France, but is also looking to explore collaborations with emerging nations in the space sector. Being carried out in partnership with the Indian external affairs ministry, such collaborations with newer entrants in the global space sector are aimed at exploring markets, Somanath had said earlier. 

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Speaking about the scope for India to carry out space sector business activities, Somanath said that India would like to explore the markets in Latin America, Arab nations, Africa and Southeast Asia and collaborate with them for mutual benefit.

He had mentioned the possibilities of Indian firms building satellites for foreign nations and also providing ground stations and relevant hardware.

From 2020 onwards, Indian private firms and startups have been authorised to carry out end-to-end space activities including the building and launching of rockets and satellites, establishing ground segments etc.

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Since then, a considerable number of firms have made progress in building and testing their own rocket engines. Private firms have also proven their capability to build rockets and launch them into the upper atmosphere and are aiming for space, while satellite companies have developed their spacecraft and launched them on both Indian and foreign rockets

While ISRO has developed end-to-end space capability – from building and launching rockets, building satellites, ground segments, and space support infrastructure— the Argentinian agency is working on developing its orbital-class rockets and has carried out a handful of satellite missions in collaboration with other space agencies.

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