India-France Space Cooperation: Human Spaceflight, Advanced Tech and Industry Ties Get Major Push

India and France on Friday agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation in space, including in human spaceflight, advanced space technologies, and greater engagement between their space agencies and industries at a virtual meeting held between Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Space Dr Jitendra Singh and his French counterpart Prof Philippe Baptiste.

The discussions took place ahead of the International Space Summit, scheduled for September 9-10, in Paris, and the Bengaluru Space Expo, scheduled for September 7-9. Both sides discussed India’s participation in the Paris Summit and France’s participation in the Bengaluru Space Expo, along with the forthcoming visit of Prof Baptiste to India later this month, according to an official statement issued after the meeting. Dr Jitendra Singh said India looks forward to participating in the International Space Summit and to further strengthening its longstanding space partnership with France.

He said the Summit’s focus on space science, technology and applications, space economy and secure space provides an important platform for international dialogue and cooperation on the future of the space sector. India welcomed the proposed Summit deliverables on the sustainable use of outer space, accessibility, openness and integrity of space-based scientific data, and support for the International Telecommunication Union’s regulatory framework for frequency management. Dr Singh conveyed India’s readiness to exchange views with the French side during the finalisation of these initiatives.

A key focus of the discussions was India’s contribution to the Paris Summit. Chairman, ISRO/Secretary, Department of Space, has been invited to deliver the opening keynote on India’s future human spaceflight in Low Earth Orbit. Dr Singh also conveyed that, if considered useful by the French side, members of the Indian delegation could make presentations on additional areas, including design and manufacturing technologies in space, connectivity from space and exploration beyond the International Space Station.

Prof Baptiste expressed France’s desire to further strengthen and accelerate the existing India-France cooperation in space. He also thanked India for the proposed video message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Summit and welcomed continued consultations with the Indian side on the declarations proposed for adoption at the event. The two sides also discussed France’s participation in the Bengaluru Space Expo and the opportunities for enhanced interaction between the two countries’ space agencies, industries and emerging space ecosystems.

Prof Baptiste is scheduled to visit India from September 28-30 and has expressed interest in visiting ISRO facilities in Bengaluru and meeting Dr Singh. The two sides agreed that their respective teams would continue consultations on possible areas of cooperation and on the additional presentations proposed for the Paris Summit. India and France have shared a close space partnership spanning nearly six decades. Cooperation between ISRO and France’s CNES has included the joint satellite missions Megha-Tropiques and SARAL, while the two sides are also pursuing further cooperation in Earth observation and climate-related applications.

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