On December 19, 2024, Indian Ambassador to the United States Vinay Kwatra, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, and Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer visited the Johnson Space Center in Houston, marking a significant advancement in the cooperative efforts between the two nations in space exploration.
In June 2023, President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a commitment to explore new frontiers through collaboration in space. This partnership was further solidified when Indian officials signed the Artemis Accords, joining 51 nations dedicated to the peaceful exploration of space for the benefit of all humanity.
NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) are currently identifying opportunities for joint missions, including India's anticipated return to space. Two ISRO astronauts are set to train alongside NASA astronauts as part of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station, which is projected to launch in early 2025.
Additionally, NASA and ISRO are collaborating on the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, scheduled for launch in early 2025 from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Center. The NISAR satellite will utilize dual radar systems from both agencies to monitor Earth's surface movements every 12 days, enhancing disaster response capabilities and resource management.
The U.S.-India space partnership aims to foster collaboration between startups in both countries, enhancing situational awareness in space and advancing satellite technologies. Efforts are also underway to promote defensive space cooperation and develop missile and space-launch technologies, including commercial satellite launches.
ISRO has announced plans for a lunar return mission in 2028, intending to collect 6.6 pounds of samples from the moon's south pole. This initiative reflects the growing ambition of both nations in the realm of space exploration.