India and European Union Signed Agreement for Satellite Cooperation Details Purpose

India and European Union Signed Agreement to Share Earth Observation Data from each other's Satellites- Details, Features, Purpose

India and the European Union on 19th March 2018 signed a cooperation agreement that will allow them to share earth observation data from each other's satellite.

The agreement was signed between India’s Department of Space (DoS), Scientific Secretary, PG Diwakar and European Commission, Director for Space Policy, Copernicus and Defence, Philippe Brunet, in Bengaluru, India.

The agreement was made with an aim to strengthen and stimulate cooperation on earth observation and mutual access to data from EU’s Sentinel series of satellites and from Indian earth observation satellites.

Under the agreement, the data sharing will cater mutual benefits, in particular in the shield of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Under the arrangement, the European Commission will provide India with free, full and open access to the data from the Copernicus Sentinel family of satellites using high bandwidth connections from data hub to data hub.

Under the arrangement, the Indian Department of Space (DoS) will provide the Copernicus programme and its participating states with a free, full and open access to the data from ISRO's earth observation satellites including historical data sets.

The agreement will also give technical assistance for the establishment of high bandwidth connections with ISRO sites, in particular through setting up of mirror servers, data storage and archival facilities.

Copernicus programme is the world’s largest single earth observation programme directed by European Commission in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA).

Copernicus programme provides a wide range of applications like climate change, land, ocean and atmosphere monitoring as well as support in forecasting, management and mitigation of natural disasters.