US allows Boeing arm to talk to Isro

Countries look to work together on satellites

The US government recently approved a licence authorising Boeing Satellite Systems to "engage in discussions and share data" with the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) for possible "joint cooperation in the development and marketing of communication satellites", US Under Secretary of Commerce Kenneth Juster told the Indo-US conference on space here today.

This gave substance to the US stance that it was keen to raise the level of Indo-US cooperation in the peaceful use of space technologies.
Recalling that sanctions were imposed on India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the nuclear tests by the two countries in 1998, Juster added that the US "also recognised the need to transform our relationship with India by working to expand common positions, rather than focus only on differences". Consequently, the sanctions were lifted in 2001.

However, he declined to elaborate on continuing restrictions on the launch of satellites made with US components, saying that these were determined on a "case-by-case basis".

Isro sources have been quoted as saying that they have lost two launch opportunities because of these restrictions. The Chinese are currently unable to launch satellites with substantial US-made components (all satellites are) for the same reason.

In his address to the first plenary session of the conference, G Madhavan Nair, chairman of Isro, noted that Antrix, the commercial arm of Isro, had so far secured orders enabling it to launch four spacecraft (belonging to Germany, Belgium and Korea).

He added that "our launch costs are 70-80 per cent of global costs" and the GSLV (geo-stationary satellite launch vehicle ) was turning out to be a "cost effective" launcher of two-tonne satellites.

To buttress the point that things were getting better, the US under secretary gave detailed statistics of the growing level of licences issued for Indian acquisitions of dual-use technology.

The value of these deals had gone up from $27 million in the US fiscal 2002 to $57 million in 2003 and $51 million in the first half of 2004. Simultaneously, the value of applications "returned" had been going down, from $35 million in 2003 to only $5 million in the first half of 2004.

Meanwhile, US Counsellor for Science Marco Di Capua has admitted to a positive shift in his country's space policy towards India, which has come of age in space programmes and technologies.

Speaking to the media prior to the first Indo-US space summit here, Capua said the US acknowledged the achievements of India, especially of its space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro).

"There is a change of attitude in the US administration towards India's achievements in science and technology ever since bilateral ties between the two countries improved during the last couple of years, leading to an agreement for collaboration on high-end technologies," Capua said.

"The US recognises the tremendous progress India made in space science and the maturity it achieved by developing its own satellites and launch vehicles," Capua said, while speaking at a joint press conference held with Isro Chairman G Madhavan Nair.

Sans sanctions

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• Only 2 Indian firms and 14 subordinates currently on the 'entities list' of the US

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• These Indian entities are not on the sanctions list; they have to fulfil additional licence requirements, according to US Under Secretary of Commerce Kenneth I Juster

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• In 1998, the US imposed sanctions on India and Pakistan in the aftermath of nuclear tests by the two countries

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• Washington lifted most of its military-linked sanctions in 2001