<p>"By and large, we are looking to India as a great up and coming space-faring nation to work with us," Peter Marquez, Director of Space Policy, at the National Security Council, told reporters at a conference call after the White House unveiled the new National Space Policy.<br /><br />The new policy is designed to strengthen US' leadership in space and putting emphasis on greater cooperation with India in this field.<br /><br />"We see that there's great potential there and we would love nothing more to continue to build upon the great foundation we have with India and expand that cooperation," Marquez said. <br /><br />Despite the fact that the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is in the entities list, NASA collaborated with ISRO through the Chandrayan-I that detected water on the moon.<br /><br />India has demanded that ISRO be removed from the entities list that poses a major hurdle in the space co-operation between the two countries.<br /><br />Marquez said US President Barack Obama has discussed with the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on issues related to space cooperation between the two countries.<br /><br />"Cooperation with India is vitally important to as we go forward in a variety of areas -- not just in the civil space -- you know, in NASA area where we have had cooperation, but also in the climate change and earth observation area," he said.<br /><br />"We will look for greater cooperation there. We do understand there may be areas in national security where we're going to have discussions with India," he said in response to a question.<br />Meanwhile, a senior Administration official said the United States consulted with several countries including India on its new space policy.<br /><br />"I think we're in the early stages right now, but we look very much forward to beginning a dialogue with India and other emerging space nations," the official told reporters.<br /><br />In a statement after the White House unveiled the basic contours of the new space policy, Obama said, "This policy is about the boundless possibilities of the future."<br /><br />"That is why we seek to spur a burgeoning commercial space industry, to rapidly increase our capabilities in space while bolstering America's competitive edge in the global economy", he said.<br />He said the administration is proposing improved observation of the earth, to gain new insights into the environment and the planet.<br /><br />Another senior Administration official noted that there has been a healthy dialogue with India already and the goal would be to continue that.<br /><br />"So with respect to specific programmes or what have you that we might consider, that's something that we would need to discuss.<br /><br />"But I think the idea is to build in the foundation that already exists," he said in response to a question.<br /></p>
<p>"By and large, we are looking to India as a great up and coming space-faring nation to work with us," Peter Marquez, Director of Space Policy, at the National Security Council, told reporters at a conference call after the White House unveiled the new National Space Policy.<br /><br />The new policy is designed to strengthen US' leadership in space and putting emphasis on greater cooperation with India in this field.<br /><br />"We see that there's great potential there and we would love nothing more to continue to build upon the great foundation we have with India and expand that cooperation," Marquez said. <br /><br />Despite the fact that the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is in the entities list, NASA collaborated with ISRO through the Chandrayan-I that detected water on the moon.<br /><br />India has demanded that ISRO be removed from the entities list that poses a major hurdle in the space co-operation between the two countries.<br /><br />Marquez said US President Barack Obama has discussed with the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on issues related to space cooperation between the two countries.<br /><br />"Cooperation with India is vitally important to as we go forward in a variety of areas -- not just in the civil space -- you know, in NASA area where we have had cooperation, but also in the climate change and earth observation area," he said.<br /><br />"We will look for greater cooperation there. We do understand there may be areas in national security where we're going to have discussions with India," he said in response to a question.<br />Meanwhile, a senior Administration official said the United States consulted with several countries including India on its new space policy.<br /><br />"I think we're in the early stages right now, but we look very much forward to beginning a dialogue with India and other emerging space nations," the official told reporters.<br /><br />In a statement after the White House unveiled the basic contours of the new space policy, Obama said, "This policy is about the boundless possibilities of the future."<br /><br />"That is why we seek to spur a burgeoning commercial space industry, to rapidly increase our capabilities in space while bolstering America's competitive edge in the global economy", he said.<br />He said the administration is proposing improved observation of the earth, to gain new insights into the environment and the planet.<br /><br />Another senior Administration official noted that there has been a healthy dialogue with India already and the goal would be to continue that.<br /><br />"So with respect to specific programmes or what have you that we might consider, that's something that we would need to discuss.<br /><br />"But I think the idea is to build in the foundation that already exists," he said in response to a question.<br /></p>