Indo-U.S. Space Cooperation: Aiming Higher

August 11, 2011

Indo-U.S. space cooperation may not yet be in orbit, but it certainly is in the boost phase. At the end of their Strategic Dialogue Joint Statement, issued on July 19 in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton included a status report on the recently concluded meeting in Bangalore of the U.S.-India Space Working Group.

Indo-U.S. space cooperation is getting traction, with prompting and support from the political leadership of both countries. With NASA and ISRO now free to collaborate, the U.S. National Space Policy providing a useful framework for both nations to engage on space, and the U.S.-India Space Working Group up and running, the momentum is there for India and the United States to expand their cooperation on space. Dr. Gopalaswamy outlines four areas where the United States and India can strengthen their cooperation in space.