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India and the United States will work jointly towards expanding the space economy and on the ambitious Moon base programme, US Ambassador Sergio Gor said on Monday.
He also urged Indian space startups to explore opportunities in the American market. “We are going back to the Moon and we want India by our side on the lunar surface,” Gor said, addressing the Bengaluru Space Expo 2026. The Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) has officially invited the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) to join its Moon base programme.
This comes as India has set a target of launching up to 300 more satellites from 56 now in the next seven years and plans to land its first astronauts on the Moon by 2040. India is also increasing its global tie-ups in the space sector. “Not even the sky is the limit... let us work towards the space economy, let us return to the Moon together,” he added.
“India's bold space sector reforms ignited an awakening of the private sector. Innovators like Pixxel, GalaxEye, Skyroot, and AgniKul Cosmos are making giant leaps. Our ecosystem is watching you and we are going to help you make that leap,” Gor added.
The India-US NISAR satellite mission, launched last year, is already playing a major role in providing global Earth-observation data for climate research, disaster management, and resource monitoring. “When a devastating earthquake struck Venezuela just two months ago, NISAR's radar data penetrated dense cloud cover and dust to guide emergency responders directly to ground zero. That is an example of what great things can happen when we work together. That is joint technology saving human lives in real time,” he added.
Isro Chairman V Narayanan also said that the country needs more contributions from foreign tie-ups, more industry partners, startups, and academia to increase the country's share of the global space economy from the current 2 per cent. “Success of the space programme is because of the partnership of industry and academia. We have excellent cooperation with over 60 international partners. Since 1980, we could lift off 434 foreign satellites with Indian rockets. That shows our commitment to international collaboration,” Narayanan added.
He also batted for increased private-sector participation, technological advancement, ambitious missions, and international cooperation. “Whenever a rocket lifts off — a PSLV, GSLV or LVM3 rocket — 8 per cent of the budget goes to Indian industries. That means the success of the Indian space programme is because of the partnership with Indian industries and academia,” he said.
He said that Isro is targeting six more missions this year, including the first uncrewed flight for the Gaganyaan mission. “In the 1980s, we used to have a launch once in three years, then once in two years. Today we are launching once in a month. But the need is around 50 launches per year. So we all have to work together,” he said.
IN-SPACe Chairman Pawan Goenka said the country is targeting a complete space ecosystem, including Isro, IN-SPACe, NSIL, academia, and private companies. “We are building an open ecosystem, the moment the world seeks supply chain. Our startups have earned a third of their order pipeline from international partners,” Goenka said.
