The development could give India a larger role in the international effort to establish a sustained human presence around and on the Moon. (Photo: Nasa)

Nasa invites Isro to join ambitious Moon base program as part of Artemis Mission

The US Mission in India said the two sides discussed future collaborations in space science and human spaceflight technology, building on the successful partnership between Nasa and Isro on the NISAR Earth-observation mission, which launched in July 2025.

by · India Today

In Short

  • Isro is pursuing an ambitious lunar and human-spaceflight roadmap
  • India's Space Vision 2047 includes an Indian Moon landing by 2040
  • The proposed Moon Base cooperation could mark a significant next step

India and the United States are set to deepen their cooperation in lunar exploration, with Nasa inviting the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) to join its Moon Base programme under the broader Artemis framework.

The invitation was extended during the 9th meeting of the India-US Civil Space Joint Working Group (CSJWG), held at Isro headquarters in Bengaluru. The meeting brought together senior officials from both countries to discuss expanding civil and commercial cooperation in space.

The US Mission in India said the two sides discussed future collaborations in space science and human spaceflight technology, building on the successful partnership between Nasa and Isro on the NISAR Earth-observation mission, which launched in July 2025.

An artist's concept of astronauts working on the lunar surface. (Photo: Nasa)

A key outcome of the meeting was Nasa's invitation for Isro to participate in its Moon Base programme, building on India's partnership with the US through the Artemis Accords. The two countries also agreed to continue discussions on cooperation in sharing open scientific data under the Accords.

The development could give India a larger role in the international effort to establish a sustained human presence around and on the Moon. The Artemis programme aims to return humans to the lunar surface and build the capabilities needed for longer-duration exploration, including future missions to Mars.

For India, the invitation comes as Isro is simultaneously pursuing an ambitious lunar and human-spaceflight roadmap.

India's Space Vision 2047 includes an Indian Moon landing by 2040, alongside the development of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, with the first module targeted for 2028 and the full station planned by 2035.

India's experience with lunar exploration, particularly the successful Chandrayaan-3 soft landing in 2023, could provide valuable expertise to international lunar initiatives. Chandrayaan-3 demonstrated India's capability to safely land a spacecraft and operate a rover on the lunar surface.

The latest discussions also reflect the expanding relationship between Nasa and Isro following NISAR and the participation of Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla in the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station.

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla with crew members of the Axiom-4 mission. (Photo: Nasa)

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian to travel to the ISS in June 2025 and conducted seven microgravity experiments during his 18-day mission.

The proposed Moon Base cooperation could therefore mark a significant next step, taking the India-US space collaboration from Earth observation and astronaut missions to sustained lunar exploration.

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