• India's Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra and US officials met at NASA to review and advance the ongoing space cooperation.
• The meeting discussed the launch of the NASA-ISRO NISAR satellite next year, aimed at understanding natural and human-caused disasters.
• The meeting also explored strengthening commercial space sector cooperation, with Indian Astronauts Shubhanshu Shukla and Prashanth Nair set to embark on the Axios-4 mission to the ISS.
• The meeting signifies a significant step in advancing the space partnership between India and the US, highlighting the shared vision of both nations towards advancing scientific knowledge and leveraging space technology.

In a significant development, India's Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra and US officials convened at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Centre in Houston. The meeting aimed to review the ongoing space cooperation between the two nations and explore avenues for advancing their partnership. The meeting, held on Wednesday, was attended by teams from both countries, including Indian Astronauts Shubhanshu Shukla and Prashanth Nair. The astronauts are slated to embark on the Axios-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) next year.

Advancing Space Partnership

Ambassador Kwatra was accompanied by US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer. The delegation met with representatives from NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), as stated by the State Department. A significant point of discussion was the plan to launch the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar Earth Science (NISAR) satellite next year. The NISAR satellite, a joint venture between NASA and ISRO, is scheduled for a March launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The satellite aims to enhance our understanding of natural and human-caused disasters, potentially aiding in preparation and recovery efforts.

Strengthening Commercial Space Sector Cooperation

The meeting also saw representatives from the private sector space industry exploring ways to strengthen commercial space sector cooperation. Ambassador Kwatra expressed his views on the meeting, stating, "Had the opportunity to discuss India and US space cooperation including in human space flight programme and enhancing partnership between the two private sectors in the fields of innovation and technology." The Indian Air Force's Wing Commander Shukla will serve as the pilot for the mission operated by a private company, Axiom, in cooperation with NASA. The mission will use a rocket and spacecraft from Elon Musk 's SpaceX to fly to the ISS. Nair, who is also undergoing astronaut training, is on standby for the mission.

This meeting is a testament to the growing complexities in a substantively different geopolitical world. The White House has made it clear that India is a critical part of these complexities. Over the last two years, US officials have underlined the imperative to deepen strategic ties with India. This line of thinking can be traced back to the early part of this century when both India and the United States decided to reshape strategic relations.