The Union Cabinet has approved the MoU between ISRO and MRIC regarding cooperation in developing a joint small satellite on January 5, 2024. The agreement was signed between the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC) on November 1, 2023, in Port Louis, Mauritius.

• This MoU pertains to cooperation in developing a joint small satellite between the two countries.

Benefits of the agreement between ISRO and MRIC:

• This MoU will establish a framework for cooperation between the two for developing a joint satellite and using MRIC ground stations.
• Some of the sub-systems of this joint satellite will be adopted through the participation of Indian industries, which will benefit the industry.
• This joint satellite development will help ensure continued support from the Government of Mauritius for the Indian ground station in Mauritius. It is important for the launch vehicle and satellite missions of ISRO/India.
• This joint satellite construction will also prove helpful in ensuring support from MRIC from its ground station for ISRO's future small satellite missions.
• Some of the subsystems of this joint satellite will be adopted through the participation of Indian industries. This will create many types of jobs in India.

Implementation of the Agreement:

• The signing of this MoU will enable joint implementation of small satellites between ISRO and MRIC.
• This satellite implementation is proposed to be completed in a time frame of 15 months.

Total expenditure on joint satellite:

• The estimated cost of complete completion of this combined satellite is Rs 20 crore.
• The Government of India will completely bear this.
• This MoU does not involve any other exchange of funds between the two parties.

Cooperation in the field of space between India and Mauritius:

• Cooperation in space between the two countries began in the late 1980s.
• A country-level agreement was signed between the two countries in 1986. Under this, a ground stat

• Cooperation was established in Mauritius to assist in tracking and telemetry for ISRO's launch vehicle and satellite missions.

• Current space cooperation between the two countries is governed by a country-level agreement signed on 29 July 2009. It replaced the country-level agreement signed in 1986.

About Mauritius:

• Capital: Port Louis
• Currency: Mauritian Rupee
• Prime Minister: Pravind Jugnauth
• President: Prithviraj Singh Rupan