Will signing Artemis Accords benefit India?

Contact Counsellor

Last Updated04/07/2023

Recently, India became the signatory to the Artemis Accords, a set of non-binding guidelines that underpin the Artemis programme

A set of guidelines and principles for international cooperation in space exploration to the Moon and Mars.
Established in 2020 by the United States in coordination with other nations and international partners.
Aims to create a framework for peaceful and transparent space exploration, with a specific focus on lunar activities related to NASA's Artemis program.
- Artemis program is NASA's initiative to return humans to the Moon.
- In this program, NASA aims to land the first woman and the first person of colour on the Earth's natural satellite.
The Artemis Accords are rooted in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 (OST).

The Artemis Accords are not a legally binding treaty.
They serve as a framework for cooperative efforts among nations involved in lunar exploration.

Base on the lunar surface
Multiple spacecraft to ferry humans and cargo,
Orbiting space station,
Constellation of satellites to help with navigation and communication.
It resembles a Chinese-Russian plan for an ‘International Lunar Research Station’.

Modern space law is erected on four international agreements that cover issues like the peaceful use of space, registration, and liability.
The Accords’ principles are consonant with these agreements.
A fifth treaty, the Moon Agreement, was introduced in 1979 but neither the U.S. nor the Soviet Union signed it.
- India signed it but didn’t ratify it.
Artemis Accords allows actors to extract and utilise space resources.
However, the provisions of the Accords and the Moon Agreement are vague.
Even if the Artemis programme succeeds, resource extraction will likely be restricted to using the lunar soil to build habitats and lunar ice for sustaining life.

The Artemis Accords were drafted in 2020, just as India was opening up its own space sector to private players.
India’s evolved attitude for new space policy allowing private players to mine any “space resource”.
Shift in India’s diplomatic practice.
- Previously, concerned that the Accords are an informal set of norms rather than a legally-binding instrument.
- India prefers legally-binding instrument because it fosters better compliance.

Developments between the U.S. and China are too deep to agree on new international law on the Moon until their ties improve.
India and the U.S. have been on an upswing, and there is less hesitation in joining an America-inspired international effort.

Signing the Artemis Accords alone has no financial implications for India
To be a major player in the Artemis programme, ISRO will need a significant hike in its annual budget.
India must overcome domestic resistance to collaboration with other space agencies, enable its private sector to work with other Artemis members, and develop legislation that encourages space activities.