sathya
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India and France further cemented their longstanding space ties on Dec. 4 with the visit of French President Nicolas Sarkozy to Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) Satellite Center in Bengaluru.
On the occasion, ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan said that two more launch contracts have been handed over to French launch provider Arianespace.
“Two commercial agreements have been signed with Arianespace for the launches [of] GSAT-8 in 2011 and GSAT-10 in 2012,” Radhakrishnan says. “To date, Arianespace has launched 12 Indian satellites.” The contract value is pegged at Rs 500 core ($111 million).
Antrix Corporation, ISRO’s commercial wing, also renewed its contract with EADS Astrium for another five years for the commercial marketing of communication satellites. “The Megha-Tropiques and SARAL satellites, jointly developed with our French counterpart CNES, would be launched in next year,” Radhakrishnan says.
In his address, Sarkozy backed India’s candidacy for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council (UNSC). “It is unthinkable that 1.1 billion people are not represented in the UNSC. India deserves a permanent seat in the Security Council,” he says.
Sarkozy says that the binding factor for future ties between the two countries will be cooperation on nuclear energy. “It will now be the focus of our cooperation,” he says. “We all know how critical it is for India to ensure its energy security. India and France share the belief that nuclear energy can provide an unparalleled response to this challenge.”
Sarkozy supports India’s decision to expand nuclear energy by tenfold in the next 20 years. French firm Areva is supporting India in the construction of a civil nuclear plant in Jaitapur in Maharashtra. Sarkozy also lauded India’s decision to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
Speaking to Aviation Week, Hossein Shafife, national executive at Safran Group, says that negotiations with India’s Defense Research and Development Organization for the co-development of the Kaveri engine for India’s Light Combat Aircraft are in their final stages. “This is a very important project for us,” he says. “We are offering complete transfer of technology for the design and development of Kaveri. The talks are taking good shape.”
On the occasion, ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan said that two more launch contracts have been handed over to French launch provider Arianespace.
“Two commercial agreements have been signed with Arianespace for the launches [of] GSAT-8 in 2011 and GSAT-10 in 2012,” Radhakrishnan says. “To date, Arianespace has launched 12 Indian satellites.” The contract value is pegged at Rs 500 core ($111 million).
Antrix Corporation, ISRO’s commercial wing, also renewed its contract with EADS Astrium for another five years for the commercial marketing of communication satellites. “The Megha-Tropiques and SARAL satellites, jointly developed with our French counterpart CNES, would be launched in next year,” Radhakrishnan says.
In his address, Sarkozy backed India’s candidacy for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council (UNSC). “It is unthinkable that 1.1 billion people are not represented in the UNSC. India deserves a permanent seat in the Security Council,” he says.
Sarkozy says that the binding factor for future ties between the two countries will be cooperation on nuclear energy. “It will now be the focus of our cooperation,” he says. “We all know how critical it is for India to ensure its energy security. India and France share the belief that nuclear energy can provide an unparalleled response to this challenge.”
Sarkozy supports India’s decision to expand nuclear energy by tenfold in the next 20 years. French firm Areva is supporting India in the construction of a civil nuclear plant in Jaitapur in Maharashtra. Sarkozy also lauded India’s decision to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
Speaking to Aviation Week, Hossein Shafife, national executive at Safran Group, says that negotiations with India’s Defense Research and Development Organization for the co-development of the Kaveri engine for India’s Light Combat Aircraft are in their final stages. “This is a very important project for us,” he says. “We are offering complete transfer of technology for the design and development of Kaveri. The talks are taking good shape.”
