The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the European Space Agency (ESA) have signed an agreement to work together on astronaut training, mission planning and conducting research experiments.

This agreement was signed by ISRO Chairman S. Somanath, who is also the Secretary of the Department of Space (DoS) and Dr. Josef Aschbacher, the Director General of ESA. The agreement creates a framework for collaborative human space exploration and research activities, with an emphasis on astronaut training, support for experiment development and integration (including the use of ESA facilities on the ISS), biomedical and human research experiments, and collaborative outreach and education programs, according to ISRO. For the upcoming Axiom-4 mission, ISRO’s Gaganyaan astronaut and an ESA astronaut will be part of the crew. 

The two agencies are working together to carry out experiments suggested by Indian Principal Investigators for the International Space Station (ISS). ISRO also mentioned that they are working on joining ESA’s human physiology studies, technology demonstration experiments and collaborative educational outreach activities. S. Somanath emphasised ISRO's human spaceflight plan in his remarks, adding that the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) certification provides a great chance to build interoperability across human spaceflight platforms. 

Dr. Aschbacher thanked Dr. Somanath for speaking to the ESA Council and emphasised that the agreement provides a solid basis for collaboration between the two organisations. ISRO said that the leaders of both organisations are pleased with the progress of their joint activities for the Axiom-4 mission and emphasised the importance of continuing to work together on human spaceflight in the future.