On 10 September 2026, in Paris, leaders from Europe’s and India’s space agencies signed a fresh commitment to keep working together for five more years. The exchange of letters extends the European Space Agency (ESA) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Cooperative Agreement until 8 January 2032, and adds new areas of shared work.
The agreement matters because space missions increasingly reach beyond Earth orbit, while satellites and other space activities play a growing role in science and daily life. No country or agency can tackle every challenge alone. By renewing a partnership that has lasted more than two decades, ESA and ISRO are keeping a path open for joint research, technology and missions.
The original Cooperative Agreement entered into force in January 2002. It has provided a broad framework for collaboration, including Earth observation, satellite navigation, space science and mission operations support. Earth observation uses satellites to gather information about the planet; satellite navigation helps people and systems work out where they are. The agencies have also said they want to deepen cooperation on human exploration, following a Joint Statement of Intent signed last year.
The updated agreement reflects changes in the space sector. Alongside existing work, it now covers space weather and human and robotic exploration. Space weather includes activity from the Sun that can affect satellites and other systems. The agreement also recognises the importance of making space activities sustainable, as more missions and objects operate beyond Earth.
ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher said the agencies had built a “trusted partnership” over more than two decades. He said the renewal would allow them to pursue greater ambitions together and bring tangible benefits to citizens and economies. ISRO Chairman Dr V. Narayanan likewise described the partnership as a source of benefits for India and Europe, and said the renewal reflects a shared goal of innovation and scientific progress.
The agreement does not announce a single new mission or set out a budget. Instead, it updates the framework the agencies can use to identify and pursue future opportunities. That gives both sides room to build on past cooperation while responding to new priorities, from exploring with people and robots to understanding conditions in space and protecting the long-term use of the space environment.
For now, the renewed deal is a practical step: it keeps established channels open and widens the subjects the two agencies can address together. With the agreement in force through January 2032, ESA and ISRO have a longer horizon for turning their shared aims in science, technology and exploration into future projects.