At the DefSat 2024, His Excellency, Australia’s High Commissioner to India Phillip Green, focused on the bilateral relationship between the two nations.
New MoU
“Australia and India are building much closer bilateral relations. We have established a comprehensive partnership. That’s the highest rank of partnership globally”.
Mr. Phillip explained the efforts made by the Australian government to focus more on the space sector in the country and partnering with other nations.
He further announced the SatCom Industry Association – India, and Space Industry Association of Australia will sign a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance the strategic partnership between both nations.
In 2021, ISRO and the Australian Space Agency signed an amendment to the 2012 bilateral cooperation MoU which focused on space science, education, and technology.
Enduring Collaboration
At the Bengaluru Space Expo in 2022 around six MoUs were signed between start-ups of both countries. The same year, the Australian Federal Government announced $42 million in funding for space and tech initiatives with India.
“Australia had much to gain from working alongside India in innovative new areas of space, science, and technology”, said Melissa Price, the then Minister for Science & Technology.”
“Teaming up with our friends in India creates remarkable opportunities for our businesses and researchers, which will, in turn, benefit all Australians”.
She commended the Indian space sector as among the fastest-growing in the world.
With the space agency set up in 2018, Australia aims to become a leading spacing power. The four pillars of Australia’s 2019-2028 civil space strategy include open-door global engagement, domestic capacity building, gaining competitive advantage, and improving the lives of citizens.
India and Australia are signatories to the Artemis Accords and remain committed to the peaceful and sustainable use of outer space. In the past, Australian satellites have been launched aboard ISRO rockets.
