Modi in US: What joining the Artemis Accords means for India’s space dreams

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first state visit to the United States has been historic in more ways than one. The PM is getting a lot done and there has been landmark progress on technology cooperation and in the defence. On the space frontier, India has signed the Artemis Accords, an effort led by the US, to send humans to the moon again by 2025. “India joins 26 other countries committed to peaceful, sustainable, and transparent cooperation that will enable exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond. NASA will provide advanced training to Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) astronauts with the goal of launching a joint effort to the International Space Station in 2024,” a White House statement said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India has taken a “big leap forward” in space cooperation after it joined the Artemis Accords. “By taking the decision to join the Artemis Accords, we have taken a big leap forward in our space cooperation. In fact, in short, for India and America partnership, even the sky is not the limit,” he told reporters at a news conference at the White House with President Joe Biden. We take a look at the arrangement between the US and other governments and its significance. What are the Artemis Accords? During his visit to the US, PM Modi signed the Artemis Accords. It is a non-binding multilateral arrangement between the American government and other world governments participating in the Artemis programme, a US-led effort to return humans to the moon by 2025. While the moon mission is a top priority, the ultimate goal is to expand space exploration to Mars and beyond. The Artemis Accords are a set of “principles, guidelines, and best practices” to guide the safe exploration of the moon and the red planet. According to NASA, these accords are intended to establish a set of principles to “increase the safety of operations, reduce uncertainty, and promote the sustainable and beneficial use of space for all humankind”. These principles were founded by NASA, in collaboration with the US Department of State, and seven other nations. According to NASA, the principles include conducting all activities in space peacefully and with full transparency; this includes sharing findings, registering space objects, and releasing scientific data. To advance this programme, “international partnerships with numerous countries and private companies are vital” to the success of the US space agency, says a report in Space.com. [caption id=“attachment_12781882” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The Artemis Accords is a non-binding multilateral arrangement between the US and other governments. It is an effort to send humans to the moon again by 2025, with the ultimate goal of expanding space exploration to Mars and beyond. NASA[/caption] As the US does not seek to embark on the journey to the lunar surface and beyond alone, it introduced Artemis Accords in 2020. “Artemis will be the broadest and most diverse international human space exploration programme in history, and the Artemis Accords are the vehicle that will establish this singular global coalition,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine had said at the time. Through these non-binding bilateral agreements called Artemis Accords, NASA wants to affirm the importance of the countries adhering to the United Nations’ 1967 Outer Space Treaty, as per Space.com report. Also read: Jets, Chips, and Space Mission: What deals have Modi and Biden signed? Which countries have signed the Accords? India is the latest country to sign the Accords.

.@POTUS Biden and Prime Minister @narendramodi know that discovery deepens diplomacy.

We look forward to all that we will accomplish here on Earth and in space, including our joint Earth science mission NISAR, and are especially grateful for India’s signing of the Artemis…

— Bill Nelson (@SenBillNelson) June 22, 2023

There are 26 other signatories. These include the US, the United Kingdom, Japan, Italy, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Bahrain, Columbia, Czech Republic, France, Israel, Luxemburg, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, Nigeria, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Of 22 European nations, only eight – the UK, Italy, Romania, Poland, France, Czech Republic, Spain, and Luxembourg – have signed the accords. The new partners include the African nations of Rwanda and Nigeria. How will India benefit from joining the Artemis Accords? The signing of the Accords comes at a time when India is planning to launch the Chandrayaan-3 mission to the moon. On lunar missions, the exchange has been limited to knowledge sharing but now research can also be shared. India is also training its first batch of astronauts for the Gaganyaan mission to space. Now the new cooperation it can have access to more resources. India has shown its commitment to global space cooperation and its interest in participating in lunar missions by signing the pact. Now that India is part of the group it can join hands with the US and other nations in future explorations to the moon. It can share knowledge and expertise while contributing to the broader goals of advancing scientific research, technological development, and expanding humanity’s presence in space. [caption id=“attachment_12781912” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] An artist’s concept of a crewed Artemis mission to the moon’s surface. NASA[/caption] Participation in the Accords also has economic benefits. Indian companies can now join the global space economy and access new markets. Collaborative space missions create opportunities for technology transfer, joint ventures, and commercial partnerships, enabling the growth of India’s space industry, says a report in Financial Express. More investment in the space sector will lead to job creation and provide an added boost to research and development. This pact also gives Indian scientists access to state-of-the-art technology and research conducted by NASA and the International Space Station. India can now reach for the moon. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News, Trending News,  Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.