The Indian Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, accompanied by US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer, visited Houston to underscore the recent progress in India-US space collaboration and to deliberate on future initiatives aimed at strengthening the bilateral partnership in this domain. During their visit, the officials engaged with representatives from NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), including two ISRO astronauts currently undergoing training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in preparation for a planned mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2025. A significant aspect of their discussions centered on a collaboratively developed NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar Earth Science satellite, which is scheduled for launch in 2025. Additionally, the officials interacted with members of the private space sector to identify innovative strategies to bolster the commercial space industries of both India and the United States.
This initiative is a continuation of the commitment made by President Biden and Prime Minister Modi in June 2023 to enhance cooperation across all facets of space exploration. The partnership has gained further traction with India’s signing of the Artemis Accords, representing a pivotal advancement in civil, security, and commercial space collaboration between the two nations. The Houston meeting also provided an opportunity to review recent milestones, including the selection of two ISRO astronauts for training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, paving the way for the inaugural joint mission involving American and Indian astronauts at the ISS. Furthermore, discussions encompassed the launch of the Axiom-4 mission and the finalization of a Strategic Framework for Human Spaceflight Cooperation, which is designed to improve interoperability in space operations.
