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India-Japan Space Cooperation

Posted on March 12, 2021 by admin1  52

In News

  • Indian and Japanese space agencies reviewed cooperation in earth observation, lunar cooperation and satellite navigation.

Key Points

  • They also agreed to explore opportunities for cooperation in “space situational awareness and professional exchange programme”.
  • Both agencies signed an Implementing Arrangement for collaborative activities on rice crop area and air quality monitoring using satellite data.
  • India and Japan are already working on a joint lunar polar exploration (LUPEX) mission that aims to send a lander and rover to the Moon’s south pole around 2024.

Joint lunar polar exploration (LUPEX)

  • The Lupex mission is being planned to demonstrate new surface exploration technologies related to vehicular transport and lunar night survival for sustainable lunar exploration in the polar regions — the south pole of the Moon in this case.
  • The mission will use a lunar features-matching algorithm along with navigational equipment from JAXA’s Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon mission, and the rover will carry instruments from both the space agencies.  
  • The lander’s payload capacity will be a minimum of 350 kg, while the rover will carry multiple instruments, which include a drill to collect sub-surface samples from 1.5 mt depth.
  • The launcher and rover are to be developed by Japan and the lander system will be developed by India.

Objectives

  • The mission is also meant to obtain data on the quantity and forms of the water resources present on the Moon.
  • It aims to improve the technology needed to explore the surface of low-gravity celestial bodies in order to support future lunar activities.
  • These advancements include technology for mobility, lunar night survival and mining excavation.

India-Japan Bilateral Relations

 

  • Beginning
    • Relations between Japan and India is said to have begun in the 6th century when Buddhism was introduced to Japan.
      •  Indian culture, filtered through Buddhism, has had a great impact on Japanese culture, and this is the source of the Japanese people’s sense of closeness to India.
  • Diplomatic
    • India and Japan established diplomatic relations in 1952.
      • India’s rapidly growing economy and the new economic opportunities created have caught the attention of the Japanese corporate sector, which is a driving force behind closer bilateral relations.
  • Economic and Commercial
    • In recent years, the economic relationship between Japan and India have steadily expanded and deepened.
    •  Japan’s interest in India is increasing due to a variety of reasons including India’s large and growing market and its resources, especially human resources.
    •  The bilateral trade between India and Japan for FY 2019-20 (April – December) totalled US$ 11.87 billion.
      • India’s exports from Japan amounted to US$ 3.94 billion while India’s import from Japan amounted to US$ 7.93 billion.
      • India’s primary exports to Japan have been petroleum products, chemicals, elements, compounds, non-metallic mineral ware, fish & fish preparations, metalliferous ores & scrap, clothing & accessories, iron & steel products, textile yarn, fabrics and machinery etc.
      • India’s primary imports from Japan are machinery, electrical machinery, iron and steel products, plastic materials, non-ferrous metals, parts of motor vehicles, organic chemicals, manufactures of metals, etc
  • Strategic
    • Japan continues to cooperate in supporting strategic connectivity linking South Asia to Southeast Asia through the synergy between ‘‘Act East” policy and ”Partnership for Quality Infrastructure.”
    • Quad grouping-In November 2017, India, the US, Australia and Japan gave shape to the long-pending “Quad” Coalition to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence especially due to the rising dominance of China in the region.
    • Both the countries relations have strengthened due to growing convergence on strategic matters and its significance is growing from the common outlook on issues of peace, security and stability of the Indo-Pacific Region
  • Defence
    • India-Japan Defense and Security partnership has evolved over the years.
    • There are various frameworks of security and defence dialogue between Japan and India including the “2+2” meeting, annual Defense Ministerial Dialogue and Coast Guard-to-Coast Guard dialogue.
    • The Armies and Air Forces of India and Japan held their first bilateral exercises, ‘Dharma Guardian’ and ‘Shinyuu Maitri’, in 2018.
    • Additionally, Japan participates in the annual India-US Malabar naval exercises on a regular basis.

Source: TH


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