(a) whether on May 16, 2000 photographs and data pertaining to Indian Defence Research Complex at Kunchanbagh in Hyderabad were released in New York by the American Scientists;
(b) if so, how they got the secret photographs; and
(c) the reaction of the Government thereon?
MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI GEORGE
FERNANDES)
(a) As per the news reports published in the
Asian Age (New Delhi) and Deccan Chronicle
(Hyderabad) on May 18, 2000, the Federation of
American Scientists have released three views of a
satellite image of Defence Research and
Development Laboratories Complex on the outskirts
of Hyderabad.
(b) As per the news reports, these satellite
images have been obtained by Federation of
American Scientists from an aerial photograph and
mapping service company called Space Imaging,
which is based in Denver, Colorado (USA).
(c) As per United Nations Outer Space Treaty of
1967, the outer space cannot be claimed as
national territory. Therefore, the countries have
no grounds for objecting to being imaged from
outer space. On the contrary, the Legal
Principles adopted by UN General Assembly in 1986
provide for right of countries to access satellite
data on non-discriminatory basis and on reasonable
cost terms.