NASA Invites ISRO to Join Moon Base Programme

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has invited the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to join its Moon Base programme, expanding a bilateral deep space partnership established under the Artemis Accords. The invitation followed the 9th meeting of the India-US Civil Space Joint Working Group, held August 5-6, 2026, at ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru.

Officials from both nations used the meeting to advance civil and commercial space cooperation under the Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology (TRUST) Initiative. This framework aligns with a February 2025 Joint Leaders' Statement issued by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump, signaling a strategic shift from individual missions toward a long-term partnership in lunar exploration and outer space sustainability.

Building on the success of the joint NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, the two agencies agreed to pursue future collaborations in human space flight technology and open scientific data sharing. Both parties also reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) guidelines for long-term sustainability in outer space.