The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) looks to establish ground stations on foreign shores. Earth receiving stations at various points on the globe will help get higher resolution data. With ISRO in possession of a full-fledged navigation constellation, NAVIC, as well as several communication satellites, it is discovering the need to install earth stations beyond India.
ISRO has an antenna at the Indian station in Antarctica. There are plans to set up one in the North Pole. At present India uses a facility in SVALBARD, but it does not belong to India. “We are also hopeful of having stations soon in Russia, Japan and France,” said K. Sivan, the chairman of the space agency.
He said that land for those stations would be reciprocated with similar facilities, for those countries involved, in India. “These will require talks. The frequencies should not interfere with each other,'' Sivan said. It is believed that India is looking at a site in Novosibirsk, Russia, for its earth receiving station.
India has robust space cooperation with both Russia and France. The country is also developing stronger space cooperation ties with Japan. In the neighbouring Bhutan, the space agency will set up an earth station. This, however, will be for the use of Bhutan, and not India. If a country has its own receiving station, it can download satellite data independently. India had launched the South Asia Satellite (GSAT-9) for neighbouring countries—Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Maldives. It is believed that presently all these countries may wish to establish their own receiving stations, to make better use of the satellite for their communication needs. The south Asian satellite can take television connectivity to the remotest reaches of Nepal.