Sweden Joins India’s Shukrayaan Venus Mission Through ISRO Agreement

India and Sweden have agreed to work together on Shukrayaan, India’s first dedicated mission to the planet Venus. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Swedish National Space Agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in May 2026 to expand cooperation in planetary exploration. The agreement was finalised during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sweden.

Under the partnership, Sweden will develop a scientific instrument called the Venusian Neutrals Analyser (VNA), built by the Swedish Institute of Space Physics. This instrument will study how solar wind interacts with Venus, how the planet loses gases from its atmosphere, and how plasma behaves around it.

Shukrayaan is designed to study the atmosphere, the volcanic surface, and the weather systems of Venus. Scientists also hope to learn whether the planet once had liquid water on its surface. Venus is similar in size to Earth but has an extremely hot and thick atmosphere, which makes studying it valuable for understanding planetary change.

The collaboration adds to a series of international science partnerships India has built for its space programme. It allows ISRO to share costs and expertise while strengthening India’s position in deep-space research.

For exam aspirants, the key facts are that Shukrayaan is India’s first mission to Venus, the partner country is Sweden, and the instrument being contributed is the Venusian Neutrals Analyser (VNA).