BENGALURU: Isro’s commercial arm, Antrix, has termed the international arbitration court ruling asking Isro to pay Rs 4,435 crore ($672 million) in damages to Devas Multimedia as shocking.

“Antrix, with the support of the department of space, is preparing to file in court its application for remedy,” said an Antrix statement.

The tribunal’s ruling on Tuesday is not yet binding on the Indian space agency, as Devas would require to get the ruling enforced by an Indian court.

In a statement, Devas Multimedia said, “Devas Multimedia and its shareholders, including highly regarded international investors, are pleased that the ICC Tribunal unanimously ruled in its favour and found that Antrix is liable for unlawfully terminating the Devas-Antrix Agreement in February 2011.’’

It said Devas is hopeful that Antrix will now live up to its legal obligations and pay the award so that this dispute that arose during the prior government can be brought to a swift close.

The contract signed between Devas and Antrix was to launch two operating satellites and use spectrum that is licensed to the firm.

However, following a controversy of lapse in procedures that led to blacklisting of four Isro scientists, including former chairman Madhavan Nair, the government scrapped this deal. This prompted Devas to take the legal course.

Devas was to lease 70 MHz of S-band spectrum from two satellites that were to be launched by Isro and pay $300 million for the rights.