New York: In a remarkable collaboration, the I2U2 group comprising India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States has unveiled an ambitious joint space initiative. The project’s core objective is the development of a distinctive space-based tool, tailored for policymakers, institutions, and entrepreneurs, harnessing the space-based observation data and capabilities of these four partner nations. This cooperative endeavor was officially announced on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Grounded in the principles of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 (OST), this move aligns with the Artemis Accords—a non-binding framework designed to guide 21st-century civil space exploration and utilization. Spearheaded by the United States, the Artemis Accords aim to return humans to the moon by 2025, with a grand vision of extending our reach to Mars and beyond.
On Thursday, Jose Fernandez, US Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) alongside representatives from the US-UAE Business Council, UAE-India Business Council, and UAE-Israel Business Council. This pact creates the I2U2 Private Enterprise Partnership, which seeks to bolster awareness of the I2U2 initiative within the business communities and foster projects in alignment with the initiative’s objectives.
Dammu Ravi, Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs, Ronen Levi, Director-General of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of Foreign Affairs for the UAE, played pivotal roles in this strategic meeting on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
As a testament to their commitment, the I2U2 group also launched its website, signifying a significant stride towards enhanced cooperation and partnerships between these nations on a global scale.
