India is leveraging strategic U.S. partnerships and private sector growth to counter China’s influence in space while advancing its own cost-effective and autonomous space ambitions.

In December 2024, India and the United States convened a landmark technology and business summit in Hyderabad, pledging to expand their geospatial trade from $2 billion to $10 billion by 2030. This commitment is not just a matter of economics—it underscores India’s growing stature as a space power and the strategic importance of its partnership with the U.S.

India’s ascent in space exploration has been marked by a series of milestone missions, most notably the Chandrayaan-3 landing on the Moon’s south pole in 2023. The achievement cemented India’s reputation as an ambitious space-faring nation, proving that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) can execute complex missions on remarkably low budgets. The country’s entry into the Artemis Program that same year further deepened its collaboration with NASA, strengthening a partnership originally established under the “Next Step in Strategic Partnership” initiative of 2004.

For India, this partnership is about more than just technological advancement—it’s a geopolitical calculation. Despite its long-standing ties with Russia and China through BRICS, India finds itself navigating increasingly fraught diplomatic waters. The deepening China-Russia alliance, spurred by the war in Ukraine and ongoing border tensions with China that have flared up in recent years, has made strategic diversification a necessity. Meanwhile, Beijing has tightened its space cooperation with Pakistan since 2018, culminating in the launch of a Pakistani intelligence and communications satellite in May 2024.

Against this backdrop, India’s alignment with the U.S. in space exploration serves as a counterweight to China’s expanding influence. As Beijing and Islamabad strengthen their technological collaboration, India is forging new partnerships to safeguard its long-term security interests. However, this pivot does not signal an outright break with traditional allies. Russia remains a key player in India’s space ambitions, having historically provided engines and technology crucial to its early missions. While India is shifting towards Western alliances, it is unlikely to sever its Russian ties entirely.

Yet India’s trajectory in the so-called “Second Space Race” is increasingly clear. While ISRO has achieved major milestones—Chandrayaan, the Mangalyaan Mars mission, and cost-effective satellite launches—it lacks the expertise for more advanced projects, particularly human spaceflight. The Artemis Program, which aims to return humans to the Moon and establish a permanent lunar base, offers India a gateway into crewed space missions. The White House’s strategic paper, released in December 2024, explicitly emphasized India’s role as a key partner in technological collaboration and human spaceflight initiatives.

Looking ahead, India’s involvement in Artemis could pave the way for its participation in interplanetary missions, potentially positioning it as a critical player in Mars exploration. However, India is not content to rely solely on foreign partnerships. Its independent space ambitions are just as bold. Plans are underway to launch its own space station, the Bharat Antariksha Station, by 2040, followed by a crewed lunar mission.

Beyond national pride, India is eyeing the booming global space economy, which is expected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035. Historically, ISRO developed its space program with minimal external assistance, fostering a self-reliant domestic supply chain for space technologies. This independence has become a strategic advantage, particularly as global supply chains grow increasingly vulnerable to geopolitical disruptions. Moreover, India’s relatively modest budget—compared to NASA or the China National Space Administration—has driven a culture of cost-effective innovation, allowing it to conduct some of the most economical space missions in history.

India’s space ambitions, however, extend beyond government-led projects. The country is emerging as a major player in the private space sector, capitalizing on the commercialization of space exploration. Indian startups like Bellatrix Aerospace, Pixxel, and AgniKul Cosmos are advancing green propulsion technologies, manufacturing specialized satellite components, and developing low-cost carrier rockets. Historically, these ventures struggled to secure funding in a sector dominated by the Indian government. But that is changing. Recent policy shifts have improved access to investment, leading to the creation of a $119 million fund dedicated to India’s space startups.

As India strengthens its public and private space initiatives—while simultaneously deepening ties with the U.S.—it is poised to become a formidable force in the global space race. In an era of shifting alliances and growing space rivalries, India’s strategy is clear: maintaining autonomy while leveraging strategic partnerships to solidify its place in the future of space exploration.