India’s ambassador to US calls space collaboration a key pillar of bilateral ties

India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, said the expanding space partnership between New Delhi and Washington has become one of the “strongest pillars” of their bilateral relationship.

Speaking at a special event on India–US space collaboration hosted by the Indian Embassy, Kwatra cited multiple joint initiatives as evidence of deepening cooperation.

He pointed to India’s participation in the Artemis Accords, which set guidelines for peaceful lunar exploration, and the upcoming NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission aimed at studying climate change and Earth’s ecosystems.

Kwatra also referenced India’s long-term goals of launching a space station and sending astronauts to the Moon between 2028 and 2035, saying that coordination with NASA is expected to be significant in these efforts.

The gathering included US officials, NASA representatives, members of the diplomatic community, and Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams, who is currently commander of Expedition 72 aboard the International Space Station.

Williams shared insights from her missions and stressed the importance of international teamwork in advancing space exploration.

The ambassador noted that space collaboration adds to other strategic areas of the India–US partnership, including defense, trade, technology, and clean energy.

Observers at the event said the focus on space underscores how science and technology cooperation has become a central theme in the two nations’ evolving relationship.