The Rising Salience of “NewSpace” in India: Prospects for U.S.-India Space Cooperation

Abstract

The United States (U.S.) and India are two of the major spacefaring nations in the world. The U.S. has one of the most advanced space programs in the world, and a growing private space sector. NewSpace companies such as Blue Origin and SpaceX are among the first to showcase reusable rocket technology and are now poised to launch to the Moon and Mars. The U.S. is reinvesting in its capacity to go back to the Moon, based on a private/public partnership, supported by international cooperation under the Artemis Accords. India's space capacities include an ability to launch to the Moon and Mars, buttressed by a growing NewSpace sector. Given the convergence of space goals supported by democratic regime structures, there are several avenues of space cooperation between the U.S and India. This article locates its analyses on such avenues for cooperation. It offers detailed insight into institutional capacity at the state level and identifies a roadmap for practical end-goal-oriented space cooperation. The article highlights the unique opportunity that waits for U.S.-India space industry cooperation and the benefits that can be accrued from such cooperation.