Do The Artemis Accords Have A New Competitor?

Shri Vinay Kwatra, India’s Foreign Secretary: “With regard to the BRICS space consortium, second question, also cooperation in space. Look, there is already a BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation which was established by BRICS during India’s chairmanship. Space is a domain in which we have been very forward leaning in offering our capacities in a cooperative framework with other countries. So, for example, India has SAARC satellite which we built essentially for the South Asian Association of Regional Countries. BRICS, as I said, BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation and the Space Exploration Consortium that we have proposed will essentially take that as a base layer and build on it. Now, obviously, for any such concept to be successful, it has to address the priorities which each of the BRICS countries would have. So, the relevant working groups of the BRICS which would deal with this would look into this aspect, identify its elements and the space of cooperation in space, in the field of space or space in the field of space is actually so extensive. It’s so, I would say, productive in terms of how we integrate the capacities in the space with our own economic endeavors. This can be a very, very promising area of cooperation and something in which, as I said, India has always been forward leaning in terms of offering its capacities.” — Transcript of Special Briefing by Foreign Secretary on Prime Minister’s visit to South Africa and Greece (August 24, 2023) — More news below.

BRICS welcomes new members in push to reshuffle world order, Reuters

“The BRICS bloc of developing nations agreed on Thursday to admit Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates in a move aimed at accelerating its push to reshuffle a world order it sees as outdated. In deciding in favour of an expansion – the bloc’s first in 13 years – BRICS leaders left the door open to future enlargement as dozens more countries voiced interest in joining a grouping they hope can level the global playing field.”

‘Modi’s Proposal For A BRICS Space Consortium Has Big Implications’, StarNewsGlobal

“In this conversation on StratNews Global, space scientist Chaitanya Giri, Editor of Interstellar.news, argues that the proposal opens the door to India-China cooperation in space. There is absolutely none now and the China-Russia International Lunar Research Station is moving slowly with only a handful of partners. The generally positive reactions from China to the landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon lends weight to collaboration and cooperation.”

BRICS nations must create space exploration consortium, get future-ready with tech: PM Modi at BRICS Summit, Economic Times

“We will need to make our respective societies future-ready to make BRICS a future-ready organisation, and technology will play an important role in this,”

After Chandrayaan-3 success, India may join BRICS nations in space consortium, Deccan Herald

“India in August 2021 clinched a deal with China, Russia, Brazil and South Africa to set up a BRICS constellation of remote sensing satellites launched and operated by the space agencies of the five nations to share data among themselves for management of disasters and natural resources. The agreement enabled the creation of a network of remote sensing satellites and ground stations launched and operated by the space agencies of the BRICS nations.”

PM Modi backs BRICS expansion, calls for bloc’s space exploration consortium, Indian Express

“Even as India prepares to make a historic landing on the moon with its Chandrayaan-3 mission, PM Modi called for establishing a BRICS space exploration consortium. “We are already working on the BRICS satellite constellation, but to move a step further, we should think about establishing a BRICS space exploration consortium,” he said at the leaders’s summit. “We must make our societies future-ready to make BRICS future-ready,” Modi added.”