Now Reading: India-US space working group meets in Bengaluru, advances ties
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India-US space working group meets in Bengaluru, advances ties
The 9th meeting of the India-U.S. Civil Space Joint Working Group (CSJWG) was held on 5-6 August 2026 at ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru. ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan and U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor addressed the opening segment, highlighting the importance of deepening bilateral space cooperation.
The meeting advanced civil and commercial space cooperation under the U.S.-India TRUST Initiative, following the February 2025 Joint Leaders' Statement by Prime Minister Modi and President Trump. Both sides discussed expanding collaboration after the successful launch of the joint NASA-ISRO NISAR mission last year, and agreed to pursue future science and human space flight technology partnerships.
NASA invited ISRO to join its Moon Base programme, building on their partnership under the Artemis Accords. The two sides also agreed to advance discussions on open scientific data sharing and reaffirmed their commitment to UN COPUOS guidelines on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities.
Indian Opinion Analysis
This meeting is the first high-level space dialogue since the TRUST framework was announced in 2025, replacing earlier bilateral mechanisms. The NISAR mission, launched last year, is a joint earth-observation satellite that will map the planet's land and ice surfaces every 12 days. India's potential entry into the U.S.-led Moon Base programme would mark a significant step beyond the Artemis Accords, which India signed in 2023. The next concrete milestone to watch is the signing of a formal agreement on open science data sharing, which could accelerate climate and disaster monitoring for both countries.
Source: isro.gov.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
