The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval to the MoU between India and Afghanistan on cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. The MoU envisages cooperation between the two countries for application of space technologies in education, agriculture, weather forecasting, telecommunications, rural health, sanitation, urban development, resource mapping navigation, remote sensing and any other areas mutually agreed upon.
The MoU will benefit both countries in the following manner:
Development of space sector in Afghanistan;
Burnish India’s credentials as a nation with advanced space technology, one that can also assist other countries;
Afghanistan will move towards self-reliance in the space sector;
Help deepen bilateral ties and mutual understanding and trust between India and Afghanistan;
Provide India with a foothold in Afghanistan’s strategic space and communication sector.
Further, the MoU will boost high-tech jobs in the two countries in both core Science & Technology and R&D fields, and also the field of implementation. With ushering in of the era of mobile and internet-based applications and commerce, better communication and internet connectivity will boost creation of jobs in diverse fields.
Cabinet
