In a strong diplomatic step forward, the French and Indian space agencies are set to work together on landing a rover on Mars. After a remarkable launch of the Indian ‘Mangalyaan’, a Mars-orbiting satellite, with a total cost of only US$74 million, France was convinced to increase ties between the two respective space agencies.

India is already the second biggest partner of France in space technology, and they have a long history when it comes to rockets and satellites. however this agreement is the first between the two nations in regards to rovers. The president of the Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), Jean-Yves Le Gall, stated that he hopes to soon see French and Indian flags on Mars. Flags standing together is a stark contrast to the Cold War space race between the US and Soviets, and will hopefully set a trend for future space exploration.

The evolving production capabilities of India and the expert knowledge of French scientists when combined have a great potential for achievement. France is a leading contributor to the European Space Agency, and has a well-developed domestic space sector with a long history of innovation. India is relatively new to the market, though development and research has been greatly increasing in the 21^st century.

The cost of the Mangalyaan mission, US$74 million, is extremely cheap relative to similar Western projects, roughly one tenth of the price. NASA’s MAVEN space probe orbiting Mars since 2014 cost $671 million, and both have roughly the same capabilities. The head of the Indian space agency stated that various factors, such as cheap professional labour, simplified approaches, and a preference for domestically produced components, all contributed to the low cost.

Mars exploration is not the only part of the new joint agreement. The two countries have agreed to work together on a new thermal imaging satellite for Earth. The satellite, a direct result of recent climate change talks, will be able to monitor the Earth’s surface for climate change using new thermal-infrared technology. They hope it will allow them to better understand the impact on vegetation.

When asked how the Indian space program is compared to others, CNES President Le Gall said “I am always very impressed when I visit centres of the ISRO. What is most impressive is that people are fully dedicated; they have the same level of dedication as we had or America had in the early days of the space program. In India there is the kind of enthusiasm and freshness, which is very very refreshing, which leaves a lot of room for optimism in the future.”

Because of the optimistic visions the two agencies have, Le Gall also stated, “With the global cost of space missions coming down, a mission to Venus can be considered at a much lower cost than a few years ago, so it is feasible. Hence, why not go to Venus.” Space nations around the world should take note on how India and France are cooperating, as there are many opportunities for increased ties in the future.