India calls for stronger treaties to protect space assets(TH)

India calls for stronger treaties to protect space assets(TH)

Context

Stressing international cooperation in space as in all domains of global commons, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar called for strengthening global treaties to protect space-based assets and prevent militarisation of outer space

What are global commons?

The ‘Global Commons’ refers to resource domains or areas that lie outside of the political reach of any one nation State. Thus international law identifies four global commons namely:

1. The High Seas
2. The Atmosphere
3. Antarctica
4. Outer Space

India’s successful international space collaboration

India has more than 200 international cooperation agreements with more than 40 countries and international organisations. Also, India is party to all the legally binding instruments on outer space

Examples:-

• Chandrayaan-1: The maiden moon mission, Chandrayaan-I, a “successful example of international cooperation with international payloads. It signifies the importance India lays on its ‘neighbourhood first policy’
• SAARC satellite: In May, ISRO launched the communications satellite GSAT-9, also called SAARC satellite, meant to provide connectivity and disaster support to countries in South Asia