A delegation of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) led by the chairman S Somanath on Monday discussed expanding India-Bhutan space cooperation and different ways to strengthen tech ties further. The ISRO delegation met dignitaries from Bhutan, including Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, H.E. Dr Tandi Dorji.
A tweet from @InidainBhutan said, ‘Wide-ranging discussion on expanding space tech cooperation through capacity building & focus on the application of space data & tech across sectors for the benefit of people. Both sides reviewed experience & milestones achieved, including the launch of a joint satellite last year.
The delegates from ISRO and Bhutan reviewed the experience and milestones achieved, including the launch of the India-Bhutan joint satellite in 2022. On November 26, 2022, ISRO launched nine nano-satellites, including BhutanSat which is a Bhutanese satellite, as part of the PSLV C-54 or EOS-06 mission.
Somanath, along with Foreign Minister Lyonpo Tandi Dorji; Bhutan’s Minister for Information and Communication Lyonpo Karma Donnen Wangdi; and Ambassador of India to Bhutan, Sudhakar Dalela inaugurated a Ground-Earth station for the India-Bhutan satellite in Thimphu.
This will be highly beneficial for the people of Bhutan as the data from BhutanSat will be used for assessing inland water quality, forest and biomass cover, snow and glacier cover, and Bhutan’s geology and hydrology.
A tweet from the Embassy of India in Bhutan on Monday said the ground-earth station is a testament to the vision of His Majesty the King and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take the 🇮🇳🇧🇹 partnership into new and emerging areas critical to the 21st century.
