The Future of U.S.-India Private Sector Space Collaboration

India and the United States have dramatically deepened their cooperation on space exploration and technology in recent years. The two countries have codified their collaboration in the space domain through bilateral and multilateral agreements, including the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) and the Artemis Accords. At the same time, private companies are playing an increasingly prominent role in each country’s civilian, military, and commercial space ambitions. While accounting for the differences in maturity and growth between each country’s private space sector, this paper examines the barriers and incentives to collaboration between the Indian and American private space sectors. This paper's recommendations aim to guide policymakers from both countries in bridging their respective private sectors to advance mutual objectives.