India and South Africa strengthen scientific collaboration with banner handover at South African Astronomical Observatory on May 8, 2026

Key facts

• On May 8, 2026, High Commissioner of India to South Africa Prabhat Kumar formally handed over a banner of the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) to the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) at the Royal Observatory in Cape Town.
• The IUCAA banner will be displayed at the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), symbolising the growing partnership between India and South Africa in astronomy and scientific research.
• SAAO Managing Director Rosalind Skelton highlighted SALT's achievements over its 20-year history and noted the development of a new camera detector and controller in partnership with Indian collaborators.
• India holds the 2026 BRICS chairship, under which a series of astronomy-related engagements are being organised, with the SAAO actively participating in the BRICS astronomy working group meeting and SALT workshop in India later this year.
• South Africa's Tebogo Makoma from the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation stated that the partnership is predicated on an agreement signed between the two countries in 1995 and that South Africa participates in 13 BRICS working groups.