India, US eye Moon and Mars missions as space partnership enters new phase

Ambassador of India to the United States, Vinay Kwatra, described the partnership as “a dynamic platform for advancing scientific exploration, technology development and commercial cooperation.”-Photo (Internet)

India and the US are embarking on a new era of space collaboration, highlighted at a recent event in Washington DC. Officials and astronauts emphasized how joint ventures like the NASA-ISRO NISAR satellite and Axiom Mission-4 are paving the way for lunar and Martian expeditions.

Houston: India and the US signaled the beginning of a new phase of space partnership at a special event hosted by the Embassy of India in Washington DC, with officials and astronauts highlighting how decades of cooperation are now paving the way for missions to the Moon and Mars.

An event, titled “India-USA Space Collaboration: The Frontiers of a Futuristic Partnership”, was held at India House on Monday September 15 , 2025 and celebrated recent milestones, including the joint NASA-ISRO NISAR satellite and the Axiom Mission-4, which carried Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station.

Ambassador of India to the United States, Vinay Kwatra, described the partnership as “a dynamic platform for advancing scientific exploration, technology development and commercial cooperation.”

He said India’s space programme has emerged as a global leader in cost-effective exploration, and joint efforts with the US could “push the boundaries of human spaceflight in the decades ahead.”

Dr Karen St Germain, Director of NASA’s Earth Science Division, in her address called the NISAR mission a “model of international collaboration” that demonstrated how pooling expertise could accelerate scientific breakthroughs.

For India, experts note, the partnership brings recognition of its rapidly advancing capabilities-from Chandrayaan’s Moon landing to its upcoming Gaganyaan mission-as New Delhi positions itself as a major player in the global space economy.

(Source-PTI)