India–US Space Partnership Enters New Era With Focus On Moon And Mars

India and the United States have marked the start of a new chapter in their space cooperation at a special event hosted by the Indian Embassy in Washington DC, emphasising shared ambitions that stretch from the Moon to Mars, news agency PTI reported.

The event, titled India–USA Space Collaboration: The Frontiers of a Futuristic Partnership, was held at India House.

It celebrated recent milestones such as the joint NASA–ISRO NISAR satellite and Axiom Mission-4, which saw Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla travel to the International Space Station.

Ambassador Vinay Kwatra described the collaboration as a dynamic platform for advancing scientific exploration, technology development and commercial cooperation.

He emphasised that India’s cost-efficient space programme, already recognised globally, is well positioned to push the frontiers of human spaceflight alongside the US.

Dr Karen St Germain, Director of NASA’s Earth Science Division, hailed the NISAR satellite as “a model of international collaboration” that illustrated how shared expertise could accelerate breakthroughs in Earth science.

A highlight of the evening was a virtual panel, Moments in Orbit, where NASA astronauts Sunita Williams, Nick Hague and Butch Wilmore joined Shukla to share candid accounts of astronaut training, life aboard the ISS, and the evolution of human space exploration.

Shukla noted that his journey itself stood as proof of the strength of international partnerships and India’s growing role in global space exploration.

According to the embassy, the event drew policymakers, industry leaders, academics and analysts, who highlighted how cooperation has evolved beyond launches and data exchange to encompass commercial ventures and future crewed missions.

Observers point out that the partnership also carries strategic weight, offering a counterbalance to China’s rising presence in outer space while reinforcing India’s growing status in the global space economy, from Chandrayaan’s lunar success to the upcoming Gaganyaan mission.

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