I2U2 Group announces joint space venture

Washington, DC [US], September 23 : The I2U2 group of India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and the United States on Friday (local time) announced a new joint space venture that aims to create a "unique space-based tool" for policymakers, institutions, and entrepreneurs.
The I2U2 group of nations made the announcement on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. 
The US Department of State spokesperson in a press release said, "Under the I2U2 group’s focus area of space, the governments of India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States, all signatories of the Artemis Accords, announced a new joint space venture on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York."
The press release further reads, "Primarily using the space-based observation data and capabilities of the four I2U2 partner countries, this project aims to create a unique space-based tool for policymakers, institutions, and entrepreneurs, enabling their work on environmental and climate change challenges and furthering our cooperation in the applications of space data for the greater good of humanity."
Following the triumphant soft landing of Chandrayaan 3 on the lunar South Pole, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) also launched the Aditya-L1 Mission. This historic mission heralds India's first venture into space-based solar observatories, aiming to study the Sun in unprecedented detail.
As India now stands alongside the United States, Russia, and China as one of the selected few nations to achieve a successful lunar soft landing, it is evident that India is charting a bold trajectory in space exploration.
The I2U2 grouping consists of India, Israel, UAE and the US. The I2U2 Grouping was conceptualized during the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the four countries held on 18 October 2021, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
​I2U2 is aimed to encourage joint investments in six mutually identified areas such as water, energy, transportation, space, health, and food security. 
On Thursday, the I2U2 group launched a website to strengthen the public-private partnership in several sectors and invited private companies from the four member countries to submit their projects to tackle some of the challenges confronting the world.
The announcement was made at a press conference on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session. The officials of I2U2 member nations --India Israel, UAE and US-- termed the announcement of the digital platform a tangible step that will help in "shaping the sustainable and prosperous future".
I2U2 is also referred to as the West Asian Quad aimed to encourage joint investments between the member states in six mutually identified areas – water, energy, transportation, space, health and Food security.
At the launch of the website, Indian official Dammu Ravi MEA Secretary of Economic Relations (ER) said, "This is part of leaders' commitment that we are taking forward...We hope this website will give an opportunity for businesses to interact and collaborate on projects and partnerships in different parts of the world."
The I2U2 aims to mobilize private sector capital and expertise to achieve a variety of goals, including modernizing infrastructure, advancing low-carbon development pathways, and improving public health, according to the US Department of State.
United States official Jose W Fernandez said, "We are thrilled to launch (the website). This is a new public-private enterprise partnership between the I2U2 member states. Together we will work to increase the awareness of I2U2 initiatives for business communities."
Israeli official Ronen Levi called on private companies from relevant sectors to "get on board and take part in new rising business opportunities"."
The I2U2 website will be an important platform for private sectors which will enable private countries to submit their project details and increase their ability to share new technologies and trade collaboration between four nations," said the Director-General of the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Meanwhile, UAE's Minister of State Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh asserted that the creation of a website will help modernise infrastructure in the member countries, decarbonise industries, enhance public health and promote the development of green technologies.