US, India to launch NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar to combat climate change: White House

India and the United States (US) are preparing to jointly launch NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar to combat climate change and other global challenges, announced the White House as National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is on a two-day visit to New Delhi.

The White House made a set of announcements after Jake Sullivan met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval on Monday in New Delhi.

Jake Sullivan and Ajit Doval chaired the second meeting of the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET). During the meeting, the two leaders set the vision for the next chapter of US-India strategic technology partnership.

“Preparing for the launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, a jointly developed satellite that will map the entirety of the Earth’s surface twice every 12 days as the United States and India work together to combat climate change and other global challenges,” the US said.

The White House also announced the launch of “a new partnership between the US Space Force and the Indian startups, 114ai and 3rdiTech."

“Launching a new partnership between the U.S. Space Force and the Indian startups, 114ai and 3rdiTech, including on advancing space situational awareness, data fusion technologies, and infra-red sensor semiconductor manufacturing,” it said.

It also hailed the “unique bond of friendship" shared by India and the United States.

"As the world's two oldest and largest democracies, the United States and India share a unique bond of friendship, and Mr Sullivan's trip will further deepen the already strong US-India partnership to create a safer and more prosperous Indo-Pacific,” John Kirby, White House National Security Communications Advisor, said.

John Kirby was also asked about the Indian national, Nikhil Gupta – an accused in the murder-for-hire plot against Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil and has been extradited to the US from the Czech Republic but he avoided the questions.

"I don't have more to add on the conversations that Jake's having. He's still over there having these conversations. But the main focus of his visit, as I said, was to look for ways to deepen the US-India bilateral relationship, particularly when it comes to emerging technology," he said.

(With agency inputs)