In a significant development for space exploration, India has announced its decision to join the Artemis Accords, a NASA-led initiative aimed at fostering collaboration among nations and paving the way for a return to the moon.

The long-awaited announcement came during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official trip to the United States, as he addressed a joint press conference with President Joe Biden at the White House.

In a tweet NASA's Adminitator Bill Nelson thanked India for signing the accord. He wrote, ". @POTUS Biden and Prime Minister @narendramodi know that discovery deepens diplomacy. We look forward to all that we will accomplish here on Earth and in space, including our joint Earth science mission NISAR, and are especially grateful for India’s signing of the Artemis Accords. We can do more when we work together! https://whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/06/22/joint-statement-from-the-united-states-and-india/."

With its entry into the non-binding exploration program, India becomes the latest country to join the ranks of 26 other signatories, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Japan. The Artemis Accords were launched in October 2020 to strengthen international cooperation in space exploration and complement the existing Outer Space Treaty of 1967.

India's inclusion in the Artemis Accords reflects its growing prowess in the space sector and its emergence as a key market for space missions. The country is home to a thriving ecosystem of over a hundred startups focused on developing launch vehicles, satellites, and space situational awareness infrastructure. These developments have attracted substantial global investments, prompting regulatory changes to facilitate public-private collaborations.

These developments have attracted substantial global investments, prompting regulatory changes to facilitate public-private collaborations.

While India took its time to join the Artemis Accords, it is widely believed that the delay allowed the nation to align its domestic space ecosystem with the ambitions outlined in the international agreement. By joining the program, India commits to the principles and commitments set forth in the Artemis Accords.

These include interoperability of systems, access to emergency assistance, use of open standards, and the development of new standards for exploration. Additionally, participating countries pledge to create a sustainable environment in space, safeguard historical sites and artifacts, and publicly disclose the location and nature of their operations for safety and conflict prevention.

The Artemis Accords also emphasize the responsible extraction and utilization of space resources. Member countries, including India, are required to maintain efficiency while extracting resources on the moon, Mars, and asteroids. The program addresses concerns such as the mitigation of orbital debris and the disposal of outdated spacecraft.