U.S-India space ties move from cooperation to co-creation: Ambassador Gor

A stall at the Bengaluru Space Expo 2026. | Photo Credit: PTI The India-U.S. space partnership is moving beyond traditional cooperation and towards joint development of technologies, missions and commercial opportunities, U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said at the opening of the ninth Bengaluru Space Expo (BSX) 2026 here on Monday.Launching the U.S. pavilion at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Mr. Gor said the partnership was entering a new phase driven by co-creation between governments, space agencies, start-ups, and private industry.“Our partnership with India is no longer just about cooperation. It is about co-creation. We are no longer just sharing data. We are co-designing instruments, co-funding start-ups, and co-authoring the future of human discovery,” he said.The Ambassador also reiterated NASA’s invitation to ISRO to participate in the Moon base programme, saying the U.S. wanted India “by its side on the lunar surface.” He also emphasised the need for open and rules-based governance of space amid growing international competition.The U.S. delegation included several major commercial space companies, including Amazon Leo, BlackSky, IONQ (Capella Space), L3 Harris, Pellucere Technologies, Vantor Inc., VAST Space, Viasat, and Voyager Technologies. Their participation is expecte to provide an opportunity for Indian start-ups and companies to explore partnerships, investment and access to international markets.The expo also saw strong participation from other space-faring nations. Australian High Commissioner to India Philp Green highlighted the complementary strengths of Australia and India in the space sector and the potential for closer bilateral collaboration. He emphasised the unique chemistry of partnership between the countries, noting that while other nations bring heavyweights like NASA or Galileo to the table, Australia and India have complementary, contrasting strengths. “We have the things you don’t, and you have the things we don’t,’’ High Commissioner Green added.Italian Ambassador Antonio Bartoli highlighted Italy’s expertise in advanced manufacturing and Europe’s long experience in space, with a large Italian delegation attending the expo to explore partnerships with India’s growing private space industry.On the domestic front, Secretary, Department of Space, and ISRO chairman V. Narayanan, and IN-SPACe chairman Pawan Goenka outlined the policy and institutional priorities for expanding commercial space activity in India.A key theme of the discussions was the shift from technology transfer to deeper joint development and joint ventures. The focus was also on enabling Indian space companies to access global markets and build international partnerships.“Karnataka has a strong and vibrant innovation ecosystem with start-ups, industry, accademic institutions, and research centres working across a range of emerging technologies,” said N. Manjula, Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT, Biotechnology, and Science and Technology, Karnataka.Later, a technical session chaired by Anupam Sharma of the Ministry of Defence and DRDO examined opportunities for private space companies to develop surveillance, intelligence and secure communication capabilities for defence applications. Bellatrix Aerospace co-founder Yash Karanam was among the industry participants.The exhibition floor showcased the widening space ecosystem in India. The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) presented its research, student innovations and start-ups incubated through its ecosystem.Industrial bodies were also pitching manufacturing opportunities. For instance: The Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO), among others, showcased aerospace clusters and investment opportunities aimed at attracting global companies to establish manufacturing bases in India.With international delegations, private space companies, start-ups, and government agencies converging at BSX 2026, the first day highlighted India’s transition from being primarily a space-service provider to an increasingly important partner in the global commercial space economy.