The United States and India, the two largest democracies in the world, have a decades-long relationship built on cooperation in space issues. In recent years, that bond has come into stronger focus. Building on their shared core values of open and representative government, rule of law and freedom of speech. Based on the countries’ similarities in size and maritime borders, India and the U.S. both face the pressing needs to unite and exercise sovereignty over their territories using space technologies.
As representatives of leading space companies in India and the U.S., we understand that both countries must continue to grow this unique relationship by developing a space cooperation strategy that’s designed for the 21st century and beyond. The time is right to expand engagement between the U.S., India and the commercial industry on strategically significant issues that are priorities for both nations.
India and the U.S. must prioritize space exploration. Both countries have made important progress by recently agreeing to secure a carrier for the first-ever joint effort between NASA and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) astronauts at the International Space Station. They also agreed to pursue opportunities for India’s participation in the Lunar Gateway Program, and in June concluded the Strategic Framework for Human Spaceflight Cooperation to deepen interoperability in space. To ensure these efforts are successful, the governments must engage the private sector.
As the planet experiences climate change, space technology can offer some solutions. For instance, the joint NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite can map the entirety of the Earth’s surface twice every 12 days, offering important tools to address ongoing challenges.
The governments should also build off of the bilateral 2022 Space Situational Awareness agreement they both signed, which supports greater information sharing and can lead to private sector opportunities in relevant areas such as cybersecurity, debris mitigation and conjunction analysis.
One possible way to expand the agreement would be to adopt the international technical standards for space systems security currently under development by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The standards, once prepared, will offer a step forward in protecting critical assets and data in space.
Closer government-to-government work can also be conducted on satellite communications such as on resolving spectrum issues, sharing data, collaborating in research and working together in cislunar space under the leadership of the Space Working Group.
Through prudent standards, cybersecurity and interoperability frameworks developed by the two countries, emerging technology can be integrated on top of joint programs and projects. These frameworks should be driven by industry and academia. Overall, this collaboration can drive innovation, promote security and provide socioeconomic benefits.
India and the U.S. must also work together to promote respective government policies that unlock areas of innovation and investment while addressing those that could impede progress.
Those include improving the export control process to help strengthen international partnerships; allowing for an open and transparent process through which industry can provide ongoing feedback on relevant existing frameworks; implementing advanced technology integration like joint research programs, exchange of expertise and technology sharing to support emerging technologies; and establishing business-to-business collaboration forums to nurture potential partnering opportunities between American and Indian companies.
Our organizations believe that U.S.-India space cooperation serves as a bedrock framework for international collaboration, and while significant strides have taken place in the relationship over the last few years, more work needs to be done. Our members stand ready to assist in the implementation of the joint policy framework for commercial, civil and defense space initiatives, ensuring that private sector opportunities can flourish and the citizens of these two great democracies to benefit.
David Logsdon is the Senior Director of the Space Enterprise Council, an affiliate of the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI).Anil Prakash is the Director General of SatCom Industry Association of India (SIA-India)