The Ministry of External Affairs of India and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) have signed a memorandum of understanding to provide grant assistance for the launch of the Munal satellite, which is developed in Nepal.

Anurag Srivastava, joint secretary (North) from the ministry, and Arunachalam A, director of NSIL, signed the MoU on Saturday, the ministry said.

Dr Rabindra Prasad Dhakal, secretary at Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST); Dr Surendra Thapa, chargé d'affaires of Nepali Embassy; and Dr Abhas Maskey, founder of Antarikchya Pratishan Nepal (APN), were also present at the signing-in ceremony.

Earlier, NSIL and NAST had forged the Launch Service Agreement for the Munal Satellite during India’s external affairs minister S. Jaishankar’s Nepal visit in January.

Jaishankar witnessed the agreement during his visit to Nepal on January 4.

The Munal Satellite, which aims to build a vegetation density database of the Earth’s surface, is a satellite developed in Nepal with NAST’s support. APN, a Nepali startup, has assisted Nepali students in the design and fabrication of the satellite.

“This satellite is expected to be launched soon on NSIL’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle,” the press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.