India became the 27th signatory of the Artemis Accords, and the 3rd signatory of 2023, during a ceremony at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington on June 21. The signing was done by Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu for India and Administrator Bill Nelson for NASA. Other dignitaries at the ceremony included Nancy Jackson from the US State Department and ISRO Counsellor Krunal Joshi.

“India is taking a landmark step in becoming a party to the Artemis Accords, a momentous occasion for our bilateral space cooperation,” said Sandhu. “We reiterate India’s commitment to space exploration underpinned by new levels of cooperation and progress. India is a responsible space power and places the highest importance on the peaceful and sustainable use of outer space. We are confident that the Artemis Accords will advance a rule-based approach to outer space. It also underlines our collective belief that exploration is not just the pursuit of knowledge – of knowing the unknown – but is a catalyst in advancing the betterment of humanity. In that sense, signing of these Accords highlights the evolution of a partnership into one for global good.”

The Artemis Accords were created by NASA with the support of the US Department of State. They were established in 2020 and were originally signed by the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, Luxembourg, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. Since then the original signing nations have been joined by Ukraine, South Korea, New Zealand, Brazil, Poland, Mexico, Israel, Romania, Bahrain, Singapore, Colombia, France, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Nigeria, the Czech Republic, and Spain.

The Artemis Accords reinforce and implement obligations set out in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. They also reinforce the commitment of signatories to the Registration Convention and the Rescue and Return Agreement. Finally, the Accords are intended to show commitment to peaceful and responsible use of space by the signatories, including the public release of scientific data and the protection of historic landing sites.

“On behalf of NASA, on behalf of President Biden and Vice President Harris, we are very pleased to grow our partnership with India here on Earth and in space,” said Administrator Bill Nelson. “As we venture farther out into the cosmos than ever before, how we go is as important as what we do when we reach our destinations. We want to go in a peaceful way. We want to go in a transparent way. And we want to support each other in times of trouble. We are very grateful for India’s leadership in signing the Artemis Accords and look forward to all that we will accomplish together.”

NASA fully expects more nations to sign the Artemis Accords in the months and years ahead.