ESA, India extend co-op agreement
September 23, 2026

By Chris Forrester



The European Space Agency (ESA) and India’s Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have signed a fresh agreement to extend and broaden their cooperation agreement. The pair have extended their long-standing agreement for a further five years, until January 8th 2032, reaffirming Europe’s and India’s commitment to expanding cooperation in space.

“As space activities expand beyond Earth orbit and new opportunities emerge in exploration, sustainability and advanced technologies, international cooperation remains essential. ESA and ISRO have built a trusted partnership spanning more than two decades, and this renewed agreement positions us to pursue even greater ambitions together while delivering tangible benefits for our citizens and economies. We look forward to continuing this successful collaboration in the years ahead,” stated ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher.


The Cooperative Agreement, which entered into force in January 2002, provides the framework for cooperation between ESA and ISRO across a broad range of space activities.

ESA and ISRO have previously worked together on a range of programmes and initiatives spanning Earth observation, satellite navigation, space science and mission operations support, while also expressing their intention to deepen cooperation through a Joint Statement of Intent on human exploration signed last year.

Dr V. Narayanan, Chairman of ISRO, stated: “The partnership between ISRO and ESA has delivered tangible benefits for India and Europe and has demonstrated the value of international cooperation in advancing space activities. The renewal of this agreement reflects the shared ambition of ISRO and ESA to pursue innovation and scientific progress for the benefit of our societies.”