NASA will soon provide advanced training to Indian astronauts for joint mission to ISS: Garcetti
Washington, May 25: NASA will soon provide advanced training to Indian astronauts to send a joint mission to the International Space Station this year or shortly thereafter, US envoy to India Eric Garcetti has said.
Garcetti made these remarks while speaking at the "US-India Commercial Space Conference: Unlocking Opportunities for US & Indian Space Startups," hosted by the US-India Business Council (USIBC) and the US Commercial Service (USCS) in Bengaluru on Friday.
“NASA will soon provide advanced training to Indian astronauts, with the goal of mounting a joint effort to the International Space Station, hopefully, this year or shortly thereafter, which was one of the promises of our leaders' visit together," Garcetti said.
"And soon we will launch the NISAR satellite from ISRO's Satish Dhawan Space Center to monitor all resources, including ecosystems, the Earth's surface, natural hazards, sea level rise, and the cryosphere,” Garcetti said, according to a USIBC press statement issued here.
NISAR is a joint Earth-observing mission between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
“You see whether it's the pursuit of peace and the peaceful use of space, things like the Artemis Accord, we are hand in hand, arm in arm. When it comes to prosperity and jobs, which is a big part of this conference today, it can be produced by startups in this sector, good-paying, high-tech jobs for Indians and for Americans. Space is right there,” Garcetti said.
The Artemis Accords lay out a framework for collaborating nations' safe exploration of the moon and beyond.
The day-long event in Bengaluru saw the participation from senior officials from both the US and Indian governments, including Garcetti, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman Dr. S Somanath, representatives from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Government of India, as well as prominent leaders from the commercial space industry, industry stakeholders, venture capitalists, and market analysts.
“I must salute the visionary leadership that we have in both nations in India and the US for engaging in such an accord which looks at the moon as a sustainable place for all of us to come and work together,” Somnath said in his remarks.
“The connection between the Indian partners and also the US partners in critical technologies and specifically in the space sector is really becoming stronger. And I’m very happy about that type of engagement and the options available to the industries and the US business indigenous to connect with India in the emerging space sector as well,” he said.
Expressing optimism about the prospects of US-India collaboration in space, USIBC president Atul Keshap described it as a new chapter in the US-India space partnership. This week has been particularly fruitful, with USIBC and USCS joining forces to champion these two iCET space deliverables, he said.
“The conference highlights the deepening synergy between our two free nations in pioneering space exploration and innovation by the leading democracies. Through strategic alliances and collaborative efforts, we're on the brink of achieving extraordinary milestones and expanding the horizons of space exploration beyond what we once imagined," Keshap said.
The US-India Commercial Space Conference underscores the importance of fostering strategic partnerships to drive innovation and propel the space industry forward,” said USIBC managing director Alexander Slater.
“This is the next step in USIBC’s continued commitment to fostering bilateral cooperation among leading companies and startups from both countries to unlock new opportunities for economic growth, job creation and technological leadership. It builds on our work in February when we hosted the second edition of INDUS-X in New Delhi, which promoted similar opportunities for innovation and cooperation in new and emerging defence technologies,”he said.
Meanwhile, senior defence officials from India and the US have met in Washington to discuss opportunities to strengthen space cooperation and identified potential areas for collaboration with the American industry.
Meeting for the second annual US-India Advanced Domains Defence Dialogue (AD3), the officials discussed a wide range of bilateral cooperation.
The American team was led by Vipin Narang, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence for Space Policy, and the visiting Indian delegation was led by Vishwesh Negi, India's Joint Secretary for International Cooperation.
During this year's Dialogue, Narang and Negi discussed opportunities to strengthen space cooperation and identified potential areas for collaboration with US industry, said Department of Defence Spokesperson Cmdr. Jessica Anderson.
Among a group of US and Indian defence officials, the two co-chaired the first US-India principal-level tabletop discussion that explored areas to enhance cooperation in the space domain.
They agreed to advance AD3 through regular working group discussions.
The visiting Indian Government delegation also engaged with the US Space Command, the Joint Commercial Operations Cell, and artificial intelligence experts from across the US Department of Defence, Anderson said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Waqf Amendment bill aimed at polarisation, will prove to be waterloo for BJP: Akhilesh Yadav in LS
New Delhi (PTI): Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said in the Lok Sabha that the Waqf Amendment Bill is aimed at polarisation and will send a wrong message to the world denting the country's secular image.
Participating in a debate on the bill in the Lower House, Yadav alleged that the bill has been introduced to manage BJP's "diminishing" vote bank and will prove to be a "waterloo" for the BJP as some members might be claiming to support the bill but inside they are not happy about the development.
The Kannauj MP also claimed that the bill is being brought to divert attention from the "land capture" by China.
"Bringing Waqf Bill is the BJP's political game, it is a new form of their communal politics. The BJP wants to appease those supporters who are now distancing themselves from the party because of its policies.
"As there has been a drop in the vote share, especially in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has been trying to manage votes and this bill is being introduced for managing votes," he said.
"BJP wants the Muslim community to feel that their rights are being attacked and the party gets to indulge in politics of polarisation because that is their agenda," he alleged.
According to the government, the bill seeks to improve the functioning of Waqf properties, address complexities, ensure transparency and introduce technology-driven management.
Tabling the Bill, which was examined and redrafted by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the legislation has nothing to do with religion, but deals only with properties.
In his speech, Yadav demanded that the Centre should guarantee that Waqf land would not be given for other purposes using any tactics.
"Neither the policy nor the intent behind the Waqf Amendment Bill is right. This is a conspiracy to snatch lands and houses of crores of people.
"The BJP is an undemocratic party, it considers dissent as its strength. When majority political parties in the country are against it, why is the government adamant on bringing this bill," he said.
"This bill will prove to be a waterloo for BJP because many members who are supporting right now are doing it from outside and inside they are not convinced about it," he added.
Yadav claimed that the bill would dent the country's secular image.
"This bill will send a wrong message to the world and will dent India's secular image," he said.
He also alleged that the bill is being introduced to divert attention from the deaths at the Mahakumbh and the "land being captured by China".
"They (BJP) are saying that whether it is Railways land or Defence's, it is India's land. The issue bigger than Waqf land is the land where China has set up its villages. But to avoid any questions or uproar about the potential dangers, this (Waqf Amendment) bill is being introduced," he said.
"They also want to divert attention from the deaths in Mahakumbh that they claim are only 30 even as at least 1,000 people are still missing," he said.
