India and France expand space cooperation and human spaceflight ties

India and France have agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation in the space sector, focusing on human spaceflight, advanced space technologies, and increased engagement between their respective space agencies and industries. The agreement follows a virtual meeting between India’s Minister of State for Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, and France’s Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space, Prof. Philippe Baptiste.

The discussions occurred ahead of two major upcoming events: the Bengaluru Space Expo, scheduled for September 7–9, and the International Space Summit in Paris, scheduled for September 9–10. Both nations discussed their participation in these summits, and Prof. Baptiste is expected to visit India later this month.

A significant component of the partnership involves India’s contribution to the Paris Summit. The Chairman of ISRO has been invited to deliver the opening keynote regarding India’s future human spaceflight in Low Earth Orbit. Additionally, the two nations discussed the sustainable use of outer space, the integrity of space-based scientific data, and regulatory frameworks for frequency management.