NASA has invited the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to join the project for a permanent lunar base. The proposal was presented during a meeting of the US-India Civil Space Joint Working Group in Bangalore. The parties agreed to expand cooperation in science, human spaceflight, and data exchange under the Artemis program agreements.
India has not yet specified its potential contribution to the NASA lunar base project. New Delhi is evaluating its role in shaping future lunar infrastructure while simultaneously focusing on its own national space goals. The country aims to establish the Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035 and plans to land an Indian astronaut on the Moon by 2040.
India has demonstrated its capabilities through the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which landed near the lunar south pole in 2023. Additionally, the NISAR mission serves as a collaborative model between NASA and ISRO. In June 2025, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla flew to the ISS as part of the Axiom-4 mission to gain experience for the Gaganyaan program.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced at the International Space Summit in Paris on September 10 that India is inviting France and other nations to partner on its upcoming space initiatives. The Indian government continues to build its own industrial and scientific base, viewing international collaboration as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, its domestic space program.
