India has officially joined the Artemis Accords, an international agreement based on the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which provides a set of principles to govern civil space exploration now and in the future. The accords’ main objective is to foster cooperation among like-minded nations involved in space exploration, promoting a shared vision for space exploration that benefits all of humanity.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with US President Joseph R. Biden announced Thursday that India has agreed to join the Artemis Accords on his recent visit to the US.
“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,” Prime Minister Modi told reporters at a news conference at the White House with President Joe Biden.
The Artemis program, spearheaded by the United States, aims to return humans to the moon by 2025 and eventually expand exploration to Mars and beyond.
One of the foundational rules on which the Artemis Accords are based is that outer space should be accessible for exploration and use by all countries, ensuring equal opportunities for participation. Sovereignty over outer space cannot be claimed by any nation, nor can it be appropriated through occupation, use, or any other means.
Peaceful Space Future
The moon, Mars, and all other celestial bodies are exclusively reserved for peaceful purposes, and any weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, are strictly prohibited in space as well as on celestial bodies.
Another area of focus mentioned in the accords is Orbital Debris Mitigation, where nations commit to minimizing the generation of space debris and practicing responsible and sustainable space operations to avoid polluting space. These principles, in some form, shape the cornerstone of international space law, guiding the conduct of nations as they explore space.
As for India’s role in the coming years, 27 countries and one territory have already signed the accords. One interesting feature of the accords is the non-binding nature of these principles. The question now remains: if any of these nations bring back resources from space or the moon, will they share them equally with other nations? Will they adhere to the principles stated in the Outer Space Treaty or the Accords?
India’s 2024 Mission to ISS
In line with India officially joining the Artemis Accords, the White House has announced that the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and NASA will collaborate on a joint mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2024. This joint mission underscores the deepening partnership between the two space agencies. It allows both nations to develop a strategic framework for cooperation in human spaceflight.
However, this raises a question about the awaited Gaganyaan mission in 2025, an Indian crewed orbital spacecraft intended to be the centrepiece of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. The first crewed mission was initially planned to be launched on ISRO’s LVM3 in December 2021, but it has since been delayed to no earlier than 2025. Therefore, the joint mission will occur a year before the Gaganyaan launch.
According to Arup Dasgupta, Managing Editor of Geospatial World, “If India aims to establish itself as a strong space agency with space capabilities, they must expedite the Gaganyaan mission and swiftly develop an Indian Space Station.”
He also stated that the timing of the signing of these accords is a response to the unabashed growth of China. The Chinese Space Agency operates independently, unaffected by external influences. They are likely to establish a moon base and engage in lunar mining, disregarding the provisions of the Outer Space Treaty. This is a source of apprehension for the United States, which is attempting to rally opposition against any unilateral efforts by China and Russia. Consequently, India’s involvement in the moon and Mars missions may not yield significant gains, as the real challenge lies with China.
Space and defence expert Omkar Nikam emphasizes the importance of involving private space players and facilitating their participation in the evolving requirements of military space applications. India has been steadily strengthening its military space capabilities, and the Artemis Accords provide a potential avenue for expanding and educating the military space markets in the country, while also bridging the knowledge gap and fostering partnerships among Indian agencies.
In March 2022, the Indian Ministry of Defense approved the deployment of the GSAT-7B satellite for border surveillance by the Indian Army. Additionally, dedicated military satellites were already in place for the Indian Navy and Air Force.
Omkar highlights India’s impressive capacity in the private commercial space sector and its ongoing expansion, suggesting that the military satellite initiative could have been an opportunity to explore innovative satellite technologies on microsatellite platforms.
He further notes that India ultimately decided to opt for traditional GEO satellites instead of venturing into experimental technologies. However, with enhanced collaboration through the Artemis program, there is an optimistic expectation that the knowledge gap will be bridged, leading to active partnerships among Indian agencies.
