The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Bahrain on cooperation in the exploration and uses of outer space for peaceful purposes.
The MoU was signed on March 11 at Bengaluru by India and on March 28 at Manama by Bahrain.
The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stressed that the MoU shall enable potential interest areas of cooperation, including space science, technology, and applications such as remote sensing of the earth, satellite communication, and satellite-based navigation, space science and planetary exploration, use of spacecraft and space systems and ground system, and the application of space technology.
The MoU will lead to the setting up of a Joint Working Group, including members from the Department of Space/Indian Space Research Organisation and the Bahrain National Space Science Agency (NSSA).
The group will further work out on the plan of action including the time-frame and the means of implementing this MoU.
The MoU will further enable India's cooperation with Bahrain in developing a joint activity in the field of application of space technologies for the benefit of humanity.
The MoU was drafted in July 2018 and shared with the Ministry of External Affairs.