INDIA SPACE COOPERATION AGENDA FOR FM SING'S VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 002607

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2015
TAGS: ETTC TSPA KNNP KSCA IN NSSP
SUBJECT: INDIA SPACE COOPERATION AGENDA FOR FM SING'S VISIT

REF: A. NEW DELHI 1690

B. STATE 4483

C. 2004 NEW DELHI 6217

Classified By: SCIENCE COUNSELOR MARCO DI CAPUA, REASON 1.4 (B, D)


1. (U) This is an action request cable see paragraph 8.


2. (SBU) In preparation for the visit of the Foreign
Minister, Science Counselor talked with ISRO Scientific
Secretary, V Sundararmiah, who will be accompanying the

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Foreign Minister to Washington to find out what maybe on
ISRO's agenda for the Washington meetings. Sundararmiah will
travel to Washington a day before the Minister to meet with
US counterparts. He told Science Counselor that the ideas
for Space cooperation that ISRO will bring to the table are:

- The LANDSAT Continuation Mission - For this mission, ISRO
seeks a contract from NOAA or the National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA, formerly known as NIMA)
to build a satellite (which would not contain US components)
and launch it with the PSLV Launcher. Such a satellite
would replace the LANDSAT Satellite, which failed in orbit.
In India's mind, the demise of LANDSAT leaves a substantial
gap in the needs of the NGA.

- Develop a direct linkage with NASA Programs - Such a
linkage would allow ISRO to collaborate with NASA in
scientific missions without the need to continually undergo a
lengthy approval process to get collaborations under way.

- Resolve the TAA issue for the Applied Physics Laboratory
mini-SAR instrument for the Chandrayann Moon Mission.

Mini-SAR TAA
--------------


3. (SBU) Science Counselor reiterated to Sundararmiah the
points made in State 44853 regarding the TAA as an agreement
between APL and the US Government that grants export
authorization to a US person that wishes to engage in
technical cooperation with a foreign person. Science
Counselor reiterated that ISRO's signature in the document
acknowledges the obligations that APL is undertaking with the
US Government in regard to the cooperation between APL and
ISRO.


4. (SBU) Sundararmiah replied that ISRO views the TAA
document in a different light. In ISRO's view, by signing
the agreement, ISRO is becoming part of an agreement,
provisions of which it objects to.

MEA Frustration with ISRO
--------------


5. (C) Science Counselor and Political Counselor met MEA
Joint Secretary US and Canada, Dr. S. Jaishankar, on April 5
to go over the challenges that obtaining ISRO approval of the
mini-SAR TAA represents. Embassy shared with Jaishankar
State 44853 as a non-paper. Science Counselor shared with
Jaishankar ISRO objections as spelled out in paragraph 4
above. Jaishankar expressed frustration with ISRO's approach
to dealing with necessary paperwork. Science Counselor
passed onto Jaishankar the same version of the TAA he emailed
to the India desk on 24 March 2005. Jaishankar offered to
get in touch with ISRO to get ISRO to understand the need to
make some progress on the TAA.


6. (C) Following-up with the MEA meeting, MEA Joint
Secretary Jaishankar called Sundararmiah at ISRO requesting

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that ISRO demonstrate some flexibility to move the mini-SAR
TAA forward.


7. (SBU) Following Jaishankar's entreaties to ISRO, Science
Counselor called ISRO Scientific Secretary Sundararmiah.
Sundararmiah made a face-saving motion requesting that the US
return to ISRO the mini-SAR TAA marked-up text so that ISRO
can look it over before Sundararmiah departs for the United
States. Sundararmiah said that a negotiable text is
essential so that Sundararmiah can propose final text in
Washington on April 12th.


8. (SBU) Action Request: Mission requests Department return
mini-SAR TAA marked-up text to ISRO in advance of
Sundararmiah's departure to the United States.
MULFORD