CANEUS International, a Canadian non-profit organisation, will establish a Centre of Excellence on Space Sciences and Technologies for Development at Hindupur in Andhra Pradesh.
A tripartite agreement for setting up the facility was signed on Thursday with the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB) and the Andhra Pradesh State Skills Development Corporation (APSSDC).
The MoU was signed by Milind Pimprikar, Chairman, CANEUS, and J. Krishna Kishore, CEO, APEDB, in the presence of Simonetta Di Pippo, Director, UNOOSA (United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs), and senior officials of ISRO in Bengaluru.
CANEUS is a unique non-profit organization of professionals involving public-private partnership, serving the needs of aeronautics, space and defence communities by fostering the coordinated, international development of micro-nano technologies for aerospace and defence applications.
The CoE is expected to help in building capacities and capabilities in space science and research. Andhra Pradesh will partner, collaborate and assist the CoE and help align the state with the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, said a statement by APEDB.
Coming up on 60 acres in Hindupur town of Anantapur district, the facilityAwill create opportunities for 500 highly skilled direct jobs and over 1,000 indirect jobs.
This CoE is likely to be completed by the end of next year and will potentially further highlight Anantapur as a premier destination for aerospace, defence and automobiles in India.
Already, Anantapur has seen Kia motors, BELA and other major investments in aerospace, defence, and automobiles in the recent past.
CANEUS International recently set up a facility for manufacturing small satellites in Nagpur.
UNOOSA is the United Nations office responsible for promoting international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.