The Indian Space Research Organization has announced plans to open a new space research and satellite monitoring station in Fiji.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will announce the proposal for the station at the second Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation, which is being held in Jaipur and New Delhi, India.
A satellite monitoring station in Fiji will provide India with an independent satellite tracking capacity.
At present, India relies on the United States and Australia to assist it with monitoring its satellites over the Pacific.
Indian space program scientists already have experience in Fiji, stationed there to track the country’s Mangalyaan Mars Orbiter Mission after its launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Center at Sriharikota, southern India in late 2013.
