The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are intensifying cooperation in human space flight, lunar exploration, and Venus missions, with discussions taking place at the International Space Summit in Paris, The Hindu reported.

This collaboration builds on existing agreements for Gaganyaan ground support and extends to India’s ambitious Bharatiya Antariksh Station and the upcoming Venus Orbiter Mission scheduled for 2028.

A high-level Indian delegation is participating in the International Space Summit in Paris, where ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher confirmed that he would meet ISRO Chairperson Dr. V. Narayanan. 

He emphasised that exploration remains a priority for both agencies and that several cooperation points are already under discussion.

Daniel Neuenschwander, ESA’s Director for Human and Robotic Exploration, elaborated that the agencies are exploring collaboration in human space flight and lunar exploration. He noted that ESA has already signed an agreement with ISRO for cooperation on the Gaganyaan program.

India is preparing to launch humans into space with its own capability and is developing the Bharatiya Antariksh Station. ESA is keen to explore how both sides can mutually benefit from these capabilities, beginning with low Earth orbit and extending to lunar exploration.

ISRO and ESA have already signed a Technical Implementing Plan (TIP) for Ground Tracking Support for Gaganyaan missions. This agreement enables ESA to provide ground station support, ensuring continuity in data flow and communication with the Orbital Module for monitoring and orbital operations.

The Gaganyaan project aims to demonstrate human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of three members to an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission, before safely returning them to Indian sea waters.

The agencies are also exploring cooperation in the Venus Orbiter Mission. Professor Carole Mindel, ESA’s Director of Space, explained that ESA’s Venus science coordination group partners with agencies interested in Venus missions, and discussions with ISRO are underway to ensure complementarity between the missions.

India’s maiden Venus Orbiter Mission, with an approved outlay of ₹1,236 crore, is scheduled for launch in March 2028. The spacecraft will embark on a 112-day journey to Venus, departing Earth on 29 March 2028 and arriving on 19 July 2028. It will be launched aboard the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM-3).

The mission will carry 19 payloads, including 16 Indian instruments, two collaborative payloads, and one international payload. This comprehensive suite reflects India’s growing scientific ambition and its willingness to integrate international collaboration into planetary exploration.

Sweden has already joined the mission with its Venusian Neutrals Analyser payload, while Norway has expanded cooperation with ISRO in space applications, Arctic observations, and infrastructure support. These partnerships highlight Europe’s increasing interest in India’s planetary programs.

The Venus mission aims to study the planet’s dense atmosphere, volcanic surface, extreme weather systems, and super-rotating clouds.

Scientists are particularly interested in understanding whether Venus once resembled Earth before a runaway greenhouse effect transformed it into a hostile world. Insights from this mission could inform planetary science and climate studies closer to home.

This growing cooperation between ESA and ISRO complements India’s broader international engagements, including recent invitations from NASA to join its Moon base program under the Artemis Accords. Together, these partnerships underscore India’s emergence as a major scientific and strategic player in global space exploration.

Agencies