The United States space agency has extended an invitation to India's space organisation to participate in its Moon Base programme, following high-level discussions between the two nations focused on deepening their cooperation in space exploration.

NASA has invited the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to join its Moon Base initiative, signalling a broadening of collaborative efforts between the two countries in space exploration. The invitation came following the ninth meeting of the India-US Civil Space Joint Working Group, which took place at ISRO's headquarters in Bengaluru, according to India's state broadcaster DD News.

The move builds upon existing cooperation frameworks between New Delhi and Washington, particularly the Artemis Accords that govern international participation in lunar and deep-space missions. Officials from both nations used the forum to discuss expanded collaboration across multiple domains, including human spaceflight programmes, space science research, technology development, and the commercial space sector. The discussions also covered mechanisms for sharing scientific data and creating opportunities for private industry involvement from both countries.

NASA's Moon Base programme forms a central component of the broader Artemis initiative, which seeks to return human astronauts to the lunar surface and establish a sustained human presence in that region. India has developed substantial lunar exploration capabilities in recent years, most notably through the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission, which made it the first nation to land a spacecraft in the Moon's south polar region. The invitation to ISRO represents a significant milestone in the deepening strategic and scientific partnership between India and the United States in space exploration.