Bengaluru, NFAPost: US Ambassador says the relationship has moved from cooperation to “co-creation”, with Washington seeking deeper Indian paGorcipation in lunar exploration, human spaceflight, space technology and the global commercial space economy.
The United States wants India “by our side” as Washington returns to the Moon, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on Monday, calling the India-US space relationship a new “dream team” built around complementary strengths in technology, capital, scientific talent and entrepreneurship.
Addressing the Bengaluru Space Expo 2026, Gor said the bilateral space relationship had evolved beyond traditional cooperation and was increasingly focused on jointly developing technologies, supporting startups and shaping the future of human exploration.
“A few weeks ago, at the 9th U.S.-India Civil Space Joint Working Group, right here in Bengaluru, we saw profound transformation taking place. Those discussions affirmed that our partnership is no longer just about cooperation; it is about co-creation,” Gor said.
“We are no longer just sharing data; we are co-designing instruments, co-funding startups, and co-authoring the future of human discovery,” he added.
His remarks came as India and the US deepen cooperation across Earth observation, human spaceflight, lunar exploration, space technology, commercial investment and space governance.
‘We’re going back to the Moon’
Gor said NASA has officially invited ISRO to participate in the US-led Moon base programme, positioning India as a potentially important partner in the next phase of lunar exploration.
“India is a proud signatory of the Artemis Accords, and NASA has officially invited ISRO to join us in the Moon base program,” Gor said.
“Make no mistake: we’re going back to the Moon, and we want India by our side on the lunar surface,” he added.
The invitation comes as the US pursues its Artemis programme, under which NASA plans increasingly complex missions to the Moon aimed at advancing scientific research, developing capabilities for sustained lunar exploration and establishing foundations for future human missions to Mars.
For India, participation would extend the country’s role in the international human-spaceflight and lunar exploration ecosystem beyond its own programmes, including Gaganyaan and the planned Bharatiya Antariksh Station.
NISAR demonstrates value of joint technology
Gor pointed to the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission as an example of how bilateral space cooperation can deliver practical benefits on Earth.
“When we look at NISAR, we see that NASA and ISRO didn’t build a monument to scientific theory; they built a lifesaver. Literally,” he said.
Gor cited the use of NISAR radar data following an earthquake in Venezuela, saying the ability of radar imaging to operate through cloud cover and dust helped emergency responders identify affected areas.
“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 said.
The NISAR mission represents one of the most sophisticated joint Earth-observation programmes between the two countries, combining NASA and ISRO technologies to monitor changes on the Earth’s surface and support applications including disaster management, environmental monitoring and scientific research.
From Shukla’s ISS mission to deeper human-spaceflight cooperation
Gor also highlighted the growing cooperation between the two countries in human spaceflight, pointing to Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s mission to the International Space Station aboard Axiom-4.
“Last year, Group Captain Shukla flew to the International Space Station, a landmark moment for India, made possible through American partnership,” Gor said.
Following the Axiom-4 mission and five joint scientific investigations, the two countries are now examining areas including docking standards, interoperability and astronaut training.
“TRUST creates capability. Capability creates ambition. And ambition takes us beyond the stratosphere,” Gor said.
The cooperation could become increasingly important as India advances its Gaganyaan programme and prepares for the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, while the US develops more complex human missions around the Moon.
‘The American market is open to you’
Gor also used the platform to make a direct pitch to India’s rapidly expanding space startup ecosystem.
He highlighted Indian companies including Pixxel, GalaxEye, Digantara, Bellatrix, Skyroot Aerospace and Agnikul Cosmos, saying American investors and companies were increasingly looking at opportunities emerging from India.
“To every Indian space entrepreneur in this room: the American market is open to you. Our investors are watching you. Our ecosystems welcome you. We are here to help you make that leap,” Gor said.
The comments come as India’s private space ecosystem expands beyond launch services and satellite manufacturing into Earth observation, space situational awareness, in-space propulsion, communications and other specialised technologies.
For Indian startups, access to the US market could provide opportunities not only for investment but also for technology partnerships, customers, supply-chain integration and international expansion.
US capital meets Indian engineering
Gor described the complementary strengths of the two countries as one of the partnership’s biggest advantages.
“In this modern-day space race, the United States brings world-class private capital and mature commercial ecosystems. India brings world-class engineering, extraordinary scientific talent, and a fearless startup sector,” he said.
“The resulting partnership creates a new dream team that can and will do wonders,” he added.
He said space has moved beyond being primarily a matter of national prestige and has become an important driver of the global economy.
“Space is no longer a luxury for national pride; today it is the engine of the 21st-century global economy,” Gor said, pointing to its role in navigation, communications, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.
TRUST initiative places space at the centre
Gor linked the expanding space relationship to the broader TRUST initiative — Transforming the Relationship Utilising Strategic Technology — established by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“President Trump and Prime Minister Modi recognised this synergy when they established the TRUST initiative — Transforming the Relationship Utilising Strategic Technology. And space sits directly at the centre of TRUST,” he said.
The US has also launched the TRUST Fellowship, aimed at bringing researchers from the two countries together, while expanding the US Commercial Service presence in Bengaluru to strengthen commercial links between American companies and Indian innovators.
“We launched the TRUST Fellowship, bringing our top researchers together. Because technology is powerful, but people make technology possible,” Gor said.
He said the wider India-US relationship was advancing across multiple sectors, including trade, pharmaceuticals, technology and defence.
“Pick any sector, and the United States and India are working on it, and working at levels that were previously unthinkable,” he said.
Cooperation extends to space governance
The two countries are also seeking greater coordination on international space governance.
Gor said Washington and New Delhi were working together on issues ranging from space-traffic coordination to discussions ahead of the World Radiocommunication Conference in Shanghai.
“Together, we are setting global norms: from space traffic coordination to the upcoming World Radiocommunication Conference in Shanghai,” he said.
“Washington and Delhi are standing shoulder to shoulder to protect open, rules-based space governance against authoritarian dominance,” he added.
The emphasis on space governance comes as the number of satellites and commercial spacecraft in orbit rises rapidly, increasing the importance of spectrum coordination, space sustainability, collision avoidance and responsible behaviour in orbit.
‘We practise multiplication’
Gor said the potential impact of India-US cooperation extended beyond the sum of their individual capabilities.
“When the United States and India work together, we do not just practice addition; we practice multiplication. Not even the sky is the limit,” he said.
He called for the two countries to use their combined capabilities to build a larger global space economy and expand cooperation beyond Earth orbit.
“So from Bengaluru, let us look upwards. Let us work together to build a global space economy. Let us return to the Moon together,” the US Ambassador said.
The Bengaluru Space Expo 2026, which brings together government agencies, space companies, startups, international partners and academia, has emerged as a platform for discussions on the next phase of India’s space-sector growth.
For India and the US, the direction of travel is increasingly clear: from sharing data and conducting individual joint missions to co-developing technologies, enabling commercial investment, training astronauts and potentially working together on the next generation of lunar exploration.
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