NASA invites ISRO to join Moon Base

United States — NASA has formally invited the India — ISRO (ISRO) to join its Moon Base programme, a major expansion of India-US space cooperation. The invitation was extended during the ninth meeting of the India-US Civil Space Joint Working Group (CSJWG) held at ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru on August 5-6, 2026. The Moon Base programme, launched by United States — NASA in March 2026, aims to establish a sustained human presence near the lunar South Pole through a phased approach (2026-2032 and beyond). India, a signatory of the Artemis Accords since 2023, would contribute to lunar science, technology development, and human spaceflight. The meeting also advanced cooperation under the TRUST Initiative, reviewed the successful NISAR (satellite) mission, and reaffirmed commitments to COPUOS sustainability guidelines. United States — NASA has already engaged private companies including Blue Origin, Astrolab, Lunar Outpost, Firefly Aerospace, Astrobotic Technology, and Intuitive Machines for the programme. The invitation marks a shift from joint Earth-observation missions to deeper lunar and deep-space collaboration, aligning with India's own plans for a moon base and human spaceflight by the 2040s.