Space, Trade And A New Orbit: US-India Ties Lift Off With Commercial Space Push

The first US trade delegation to India after the announcement of the US-India trade deal has signalled a decisive shift in bilateral engagement, with commercial space collaboration emerging as a central pillar of the renewed partnership. Speaking to NDTV, Peter Tichansky, president and CEO of the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU), said the timing of the delegation could not have been more opportune, as political momentum and regulatory clarity begin to converge between the world's two largest democracies.

The BCIU-led delegation brought 14 US-based companies working in the commercial space sector to India, a country Tichansky described as having a "decades-long commitment" to space and a rapidly expanding, sophisticated ecosystem. He said the recently announced trade deal has "smoothed the way" for deeper cooperation across industries, particularly in areas like space that have historically been tightly controlled by governments.

According to Tichansky, meetings with senior Indian officials, regulators, and space institutions underscored both the scale of India's capabilities and a growing appetite within the US private sector to engage more meaningfully. "What was really most impressive was how big and sophisticated the space industry is here," he said, adding that the post-trade deal moment offers a rare opportunity to translate long-standing goodwill into concrete commercial partnerships.

A key highlight of the visit was the delegation's interaction with the leadership of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Bengaluru. Tichansky noted that cooperation between NASA and ISRO has existed for decades, but commercial engagement has often lagged behind institutional collaboration. That, he believes, is now changing. "This is a new opening," he said, expressing optimism that companies operating within a government-to-government framework will be able to identify partners and negotiate viable commercial terms.

The momentum comes against the backdrop of recent symbolic milestones, including the participation of Indian astronauts in international missions and India's growing presence in global space exploration. Tichansky pointed to Axiom Space's mission involving Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhranshu Shukla as a powerful signal of what future US-India cooperation could look like. He predicted that the coming decades would see dramatic developments in space, from debris management and collision avoidance to asteroid mining and space-based data infrastructure, areas where joint innovation could prove crucial.

Beyond space, Tichansky emphasised that the broader trade relationship between India and the United States has entered a more mature and confident phase. India, he said, is no longer seen as a "necessary market" but as an indispensable global partner. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with playing a significant role in strengthening two-way trade, noting that his pro-business image resonates strongly with the US private sector.

Addressing global uncertainty marked by conflicts, disrupted supply chains, and geopolitical flux, Tichansky argued that despite differing political styles, leaders in both countries recognise the strategic value of the relationship. While negotiations around the trade deal were difficult and highly visible, he said there is now a sense that "we've turned the corner."

As India and the United States await the formal signing of the trade agreement in March, the visit of this delegation has set an early tone. With space commerce at its core and strong political backing on both sides, the partnership appears poised to move from cautious engagement to shared ambition -- and, perhaps, a new orbit of cooperation.