The Department of Science and Technology’s (DST) institute ARIES, Nainital, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Instruments Research & Development Establishment (IRDE), Dehradun, to enhance India’s ground-based Space Situational Awareness (SSA) capabilities.

Signed on 13 May 2025 by Dr Manish Kumar Naja, Director of ARIES, and Dr Ajay Kumar, Director of IRDE, the partnership will utilise ARIES’s national observing facilities, including the 3.6-metre Devasthal Optical Telescope and the ST Radar system.

IRDE specialises in developing electro-optical surveillance systems for the armed forces across multiple platforms, including space. The collaboration will focus on monitoring space objects, developing electro-optical systems for astronomy and SSA, and advancing image processing through artificial intelligence and machine learning.

The MoU also includes knowledge exchange, training, and capacity building via scientific and technical research. With ARIES and IRDE located close geographically, the partnership is expected to facilitate regular interaction, access to facilities, and joint projects.

Source:Press Information Bureau