India-US partnership in Space: Artemis Accord, joint space exploration, human spaceflight on the table

Senior US Administration officials have stated that this year, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will build a strategic framework for human spaceflight operations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now on his first State visit to the US. Senior US Administration officials stated on Thursday, “In the space sector, we will be able to announce that India is signing the Artemis Accords, which advance a common vision for space exploration for the benefit of all humankind.”

Also, they said that NASA and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are developing a strategic framework for human spaceflight operations this year.
The Artemis Accords is a non-binding multilateral arrangement between the United States government and other world governments participating in the American-led effort to return humans to the Moon by 2025.

The current status of the deal is however not known as ISRO has previously clarified that it entirely depends upon the Government of India whether or not they want to sign the deal. NASA has also remained tight-lipped about the development.

What is Artemis Accords Programme that Nasa launched?

The Artemis Programme is an American-led attempt to send people back to the Moon by 2025 with the eventual objective of extending space exploration to Mars and beyond. The Artemis Accords are a non-binding multilateral agreement between the United States government and other countries from around the world participating in the programme.

Representatives from the national space agencies of eight nations, including Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States, signed the Accords on October 13, 2020.[12] South Korea, New Zealand, Brazil, Poland, Mexico, Israel, Romania, Bahrain, Singapore, Colombia, France, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Nigeria, the Czech Republic, and Spain are more signatories. While Ecuador became the 26th country to join the program on 21 June.

Additionally, the document stated that the parties involved aim to apply the principles outlined in these agreements by undertaking relevant actions, such as mission planning and establishing contractual arrangements with entities acting on their behalf.