US Ambassador meets Isro chief, discusses India-US space collaboration

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor met ISRO chairman Dr V Narayanan to discuss deeper space cooperation. The talks highlighted growing India-US interest in human spaceflight and lunar missions.United States Ambassador to India Sergio Gor with Isro Chief V Narayanan. (Photo: X/@USAmbIndia)United States Ambassador to India Sergio Gor has held discussions with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman Dr V Narayanan on expanding cooperation between the two countries in space, including potential collaboration in human spaceflight.Describing the meeting as a “productive chat”, the ambassador said discussions focused on taking the US-India space partnership even further, as India prepares to expand its ambitions in human spaceflight and deep-space exploration.The meeting comes at a significant moment for India's space programme, with ISRO working on its ambitious Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission and long-term plans that include the proposed Bharatiya Antariksh Station and a future Indian crewed mission to the Moon.The ambassador also pointed to NASA's recent invitation for ISRO to participate in its Moon Base programme, describing it as a sign of how far the growing partnership between the two space powers could extend. “Nasa's recent invitation to bring ISRO into its Moon Base program signals how far this partnership can go, to the Moon and beyond,” the ambassador said.India and the United States have steadily expanded their space cooperation in recent years, spanning areas including Earth observation, scientific research, satellite technology and human spaceflight. The latest discussions underline the growing strategic importance of space in the broader India-US relationship, particularly as both countries pursue ambitious programmes involving the Moon and long-term human presence in space.For India, closer cooperation with NASA could also provide opportunities to build experience and partnerships as ISRO prepares for increasingly complex human spaceflight missions.ISRO is currently working on technologies required for India's first indigenous human spaceflight programme, while also pursuing plans for a national space station and future crewed lunar exploration.The ambassador's meeting with Narayanan suggests that the next phase of US-India space cooperation could increasingly focus on human spaceflight and lunar exploration, areas that are expected to define the future of global space activity.- EndsPublished By: Sibu Kumar TripathiPublished On: Sep 7, 2026 13:34 IST