Brunei Darussalam or Brunei is one of the oldest continuing monarchies in the world. The ancient name “Negara Brunei Darussalam” means “State of Brunei- Abode of Peace”. Its earliest documented history dates back to 6th century when Brunei was apparently called “Puni” a possible distortion of the Sanskrit word “Baruni”. Brunei was then a Hindu-Buddhist kingdom which had linkages with the famed Sri Vijaya and Majapahit empires of the region, as well as with China. It was in the late 14th century, Brunei converted into an Islamic Sultanate when its ruler, Awang AlakBetatar, married a Muslim Johore princess from Malacca and embraced Islam to become Brunei’s first Sultan – Mohammed Shah. Bilateral diplomatic relations between India and Brunei were cemented in May 1984. India and Brunei by virtue being developing countries with strong traditional and cultural ties, enjoy a fair degree of commonality in their perceptions of major international issues. Brunei is a constant partner of India’s ‘Act East’ policy and expansion and deepening of cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Diplomatically, Brunei supports India’s claim for permanent membership in an expanded United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and also supported India for its candidature for a Non-Permanent Seat of the UNSC in 2012.
India’s export trade with Brunei in 2013 valued USD 32 million while imports mainly crude oil from Brunei were valued at USD 763 million. According to trade stats, India is the third-largest importer of crude oil for Brunei. The two important reasons enabling a positive bilateral trade have been relatively flexible shipping costs and Brunei’s small population base. Indians constitute around 2.3 per cent of Brunei’s total population. Indian migration to Brunei started since 1929 when oil was discovered in the country. Presently, the majority of the doctors in Brunei are from India and other professionals include engineers, IT professionals, bankers, teachers etc. Indian businessmen have managed to maintain a clear monopoly in the textile industry. According to the Census, there are approximately 10,000 Indian nationals living and working in Brunei. Bilateral trade between India and Brunei stood at over $504 million in FY 2016-17, according to figures published by Brunei’s Department of Economic Planning and Development. The southeast Asian nation is critical for India’s Look East Policy and geopolitical expansion for strengthening of cooperation with the 10-nation regional bloc (ASEAN). Brunei also has served India’s country coordinator and political facilitator with the ASEAN for three years from 2012.
“When India celebrates the 75th year of Independence in 2022, and if possible, even before, an Indian son or daughter will undertake a manned space mission on board ‘Gaganyaan’ carrying the national flag,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in his 2018 Independence Day Speech. This milestone will make India the fourth nation to send a human in space after the United States, Russia and China. Future plans include the development of Unified Launch Vehicle (ULV), Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), development of a reusable launch vehicle, human spaceflight, controlled soft lunar landing, interplanetary probes, and a solar spacecraft mission. The Department of Space was allocated Rs 8,936.97 crore in the 2018 Budget for various space-related projects. The total allocation for the Department of Space for the second fiscal was around Rs 10,783 crore a leap from Rs 9,155.52 crore allocated for the FY 2017-18 net of recoveries and receipts. ‘Space economics’ suggests that spending on science and technology leads to all-round social development. The Government is also planning on investing extensively in research, training and skill development in robotics, AI, digital manufacturing, Big Data intelligence and Quantum communications, among others. Space Research has been one of the most important areas of interest of the present government. In the current era of outer space research and development, India is heavily banking on bi-lateral and multi-lateral tie-ups to delve into this area.
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Negara Brunei Darussalam on coordination in the operation of Telemetry tracking and Telecommand station for satellite and launch vehicles, and for collaboration in the field of Space Research, Science and Applications. The MoU authorises India to continue to operate, maintain and augment its ground station meant for supporting India’s launch vehicle and satellite missions. This will also enable India to share its experience and expertise in space activities through training of officials and students from Brunei Darussalam on Space Technology applications. Cooperation with Brunei Darussalam through this MoU would facilitate operation, maintenance and augmentation of Indian Ground Station to support India’s launch vehicle and satellite missions. The MoU will provide momentum to explore contemporary research activities in ground station operations and training on space technology applications. The MoU was signed in New Delhi, India on 19th July 2018. India also signed an MoU with South Africa on 26th July 2018, which shall enable both the nations to coordinate on the potential areas of cooperation such as space science, technology and applications including remote sensing of the earth, satellite communication and satellite-based navigation, space science and planetary exploration, utilise spacecraft and space systems and ground systems and application of space technology.
India has also signed similar MoUs with Russia, Oman and Japan for expansion of cooperation in the field of exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes. Joint projects, sharing of expertise and resources, development of space systems and components, scientist training and exchange of vital information are the central components of these agreements. India is marching towards economic prosperity and being labeled as the fastest growing economy in the world, it is geopolitically and strategically crucial for India to have a powerful outer space technology and to have a strong space relationship with other countries.
Brunei Darussalam au Brunei ni moja ya ufalme wa zamani zaidi ulimwenguni. Jina la kale <unk>Negara Brunei Darussalam<unk> linamaanisha <unk>Jimbo la Brunei- Makao ya Amani<unk>. Historia yake ya kwanza iliyoandikwa ni ya karne ya sita wakati Brunei ilipoitwa Puni, uwezekano wa kupotosha neno la Kisanskrit Baruni. Wakati huo, Brunei ilikuwa ufalme wa Kihindu na Kibuddha ambao ulikuwa na uhusiano na milki maarufu za Sri Vijaya na Majapahit za mkoa huo, na pia na China. Mwishoni mwa karne ya 14, Brunei iligeuzwa kuwa Sultanate ya Kiislamu wakati mtawala wake, Awang Alakbetar, alipooa binti mfalme wa Johor wa Kiislamu kutoka Malacca na kukumbatia Uislamu kuwa Sultan wa kwanza wa Brunei, Mohammed Shah. Uhusiano wa kidiplomasia kati ya India na Brunei ulianzishwa mnamo Mei 1984. India na Brunei, kwa sababu ya kuwa nchi zinazoendelea na uhusiano mkubwa wa kitamaduni na kitamaduni, zinafurahia kiwango cha kawaida katika maoni yao ya masuala makubwa ya kimataifa. Brunei ni mshirika wa mara kwa mara wa sera ya India ya "Act East" na upanuzi na kuimarisha ushirikiano na Chama cha Mataifa ya Kusini Mashariki mwa Asia (ASEAN). Brunei inaunga mkono madai ya India ya kuwa mwanachama wa kudumu katika Baraza la Usalama la Umoja wa Mataifa (UNSC) na pia imeunga mkono India kwa mgombea wake wa kiti cha kudumu cha UNSC mnamo 2012. India ilizalisha mafuta ya Brunei kwa thamani ya dola milioni 32 mwaka 2013 na ilisafirisha mafuta ya mafuta ya Brunei kwa thamani ya dola milioni 763. Kulingana na takwimu za biashara, India ni ya tatu kwa ukubwa wa kuagiza mafuta ghafi kwa Brunei. Sababu mbili muhimu zinazowezesha biashara chanya ya pande mbili zimekuwa gharama za usafirishaji zenye kubadilika kwa kiasi na msingi mdogo wa idadi ya watu wa Brunei. Wahindi ni asilimia 2.3 ya idadi ya watu wa Brunei. Uhamiaji wa Wahindi kwenda Brunei ulianza mnamo 1929 wakati mafuta yalipatikana nchini. Kwa sasa, madaktari wengi nchini Brunei ni kutoka India na wataalamu wengine ni pamoja na wahandisi, wataalamu wa IT, benki, walimu nk. Wafanyabiashara wa India wamefaulu kudumisha udhibiti dhahiri katika sekta ya nguo. Kulingana na sensa, kuna takriban raia 10,000 wa India wanaoishi na kufanya kazi huko Brunei. Biashara ya India na Brunei ilizidi dola milioni 504 katika mwaka wa kifedha wa 2016-17, kulingana na takwimu zilizochapishwa na Idara ya Mipango ya Kiuchumi na Maendeleo ya Brunei. India ina mpango wa kuimarisha ushirikiano wake na Umoja wa Mataifa wa nchi kumi (ASEAN). Brunei pia imekuwa mratibu wa nchi ya India na mratibu wa kisiasa na ASEAN kwa miaka mitatu kutoka 2012. "Wakati India itakapoadhimisha miaka 75 ya uhuru wake mnamo 2022, na ikiwa inawezekana, hata kabla ya hapo, mwana au binti wa India atafanya kazi ya anga ya anga akiwa na watu kwenye ""Gaganyaan"" akibeba bendera ya kitaifa, ""Mwanamfalme Narendra Modi alitangaza katika Hotuba yake ya Siku ya Uhuru ya 2018." Hii itafanya India kuwa nchi ya nne kutuma binadamu angani baada ya Marekani, Urusi na China. Mipango ya baadaye ni pamoja na maendeleo ya Unified Launch Vehicle (ULV), Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), maendeleo ya reusable uzinduzi gari, binadamu spaceflight, kudhibitiwa laini mwezi kutua, interplanetary probes, na solar spacecraft utume. Serikali ya India imetoa bajeti ya mwaka 2018 ya Rs 8,936 crore kwa ajili ya miradi mbalimbali ya anga. Mipango ya jumla kwa Idara ya Nafasi kwa ajili ya fedha ya pili ilikuwa karibu Rs 10,783 crore, leap kutoka Rs 9,155.52 crore iliyotengwa kwa ajili ya FY 2017-18, net ya kurejeshwa na mapato. "Uchumi wa anga" unaonyesha kwamba matumizi ya sayansi na teknolojia husababisha maendeleo ya kijamii ya pande zote. Serikali pia inapanga kuwekeza kwa kiasi kikubwa katika utafiti, mafunzo na maendeleo ya ujuzi katika roboti, AI, utengenezaji wa dijiti, ujasusi wa data kubwa na mawasiliano ya Quantum, kati ya mengine. Utafiti wa anga imekuwa moja ya maeneo muhimu zaidi ya maslahi ya serikali ya sasa. Katika enzi ya sasa ya utafiti na maendeleo ya anga ya nje, India inategemea sana ushirikiano wa pande mbili na pande nyingi kutafakari katika eneo hili. Baraza la Mawaziri la India lilikubaliana na India na Brunei Darussalam juu ya ushirikiano katika uendeshaji wa kituo cha telemetry na kituo cha telecommand kwa satellite na magari ya uzinduzi na kwa ushirikiano katika uwanja wa utafiti wa anga, sayansi na matumizi. Mkataba huo unatoa mamlaka kwa India kuendelea kuendesha, kudumisha na kuongeza kituo chake cha ardhi kilichokusudiwa kuunga mkono gari la uzinduzi la India na misheni ya satelaiti. Hii pia itawezesha India kushiriki uzoefu wake na utaalam katika shughuli za anga kupitia mafunzo ya maafisa na wanafunzi kutoka Brunei Darussalam juu ya matumizi ya Teknolojia ya Anga. Brunei Darussalam na India ni nchi ya kwanza duniani kuanzisha na kuendeleza kituo cha ndege cha India cha Ground Station, ambacho kinaweza kuwezesha uendeshaji, matengenezo na upanuzi wa vituo vya ndege vya India. Mkataba huo utatoa mwendo wa kuchunguza shughuli za kisasa za utafiti katika shughuli za kituo cha ardhi na mafunzo juu ya matumizi ya teknolojia ya anga. Mkataba huo ulisainiwa tarehe 19 Julai 2018 mjini New Delhi, India. India na Afrika Kusini zilikubaliana kuanzisha mpango wa ushirikiano wa kimataifa wa kimataifa kuhusu sayansi ya anga, teknolojia na matumizi ya anga, ikiwa ni pamoja na uchunguzi wa mbali wa dunia, mawasiliano ya satelaiti na urambazaji wa satelaiti, sayansi ya anga na utafutaji wa sayari, kutumia vifaa vya anga na mifumo ya anga na mifumo ya ardhi na matumizi ya teknolojia ya anga. India pia imesaini mikataba kama hiyo na Urusi, Oman na Japan kwa ajili ya kupanua ushirikiano katika uwanja wa uchunguzi na matumizi ya anga ya nje kwa madhumuni ya amani. Miradi ya pamoja, kushirikiana maarifa na rasilimali, maendeleo ya mifumo ya anga na vipengele, mafunzo ya wanasayansi na kubadilishana habari muhimu ni vipengele kuu vya makubaliano haya. "Kama India inaendelea kuelekea ustawi wa kiuchumi na kuwa ""kiuchumi kinachokua kwa kasi zaidi ulimwenguni,"" ni muhimu kwa kijiografia na kimkakati kwa India kuwa na teknolojia ya anga ya nje yenye nguvu na kuwa na uhusiano mkubwa wa anga na nchi zingine."