The Indian Space Congress 2025 is in full session in Delhi. The meeting is lined with bureaucrats, decision-makers, policy personnel and of course, private players in the space sector looking to make a difference and boost India鈥檚 space sector.
And there is one theme that plays common through it all, 鈥楢tmanirbharta鈥.
Cultivating Indigenous Capabilities For Strategic Autonomy
PM Modi鈥檚 vision of 鈥楢tmanirbhar Bharat鈥 is now profoundly shaping its trajectory in the space sector, transforming it into a critical pillar of national power and strategic autonomy. This push is evident in a series of landmark initiatives, from the successful launch of private satellite constellations to ambitious long-term space exploration goals.
In January this year, PM Modi hailed Pixxel鈥檚 鈥楩irefly鈥, India鈥檚 first private satellite constellation, as a testament to India鈥檚 growing strength in space innovation and a significant stride towards self-reliance, noting its capacity for high-resolution imagery. Concurrently, ISRO鈥檚 successful deployment of the indigenous EOS-08 Advanced Earth Orbiting Satellite, designed for critical remote sensing applications like ocean surface wind, soil moisture, and flood detection, underscores the nation鈥檚 commitment to developing its own crucial space assets, despite initial launch challenges.
These advancements serve as a testament to India鈥檚 growing stature in the space sector. The government鈥檚 2020 space sector reforms and the Indian Space Policy, 2023, have been instrumental in fostering this indigenous growth by opening the sector to Non-Government Entities and increasing the FDI threshold to 100%.
It has invigorated the private sector, allowing it to contribute significantly to India鈥檚 space ambitions. Such an approach reduces India鈥檚 reliance on foreign partners for critical space infrastructure and data, thereby enhancing its strategic autonomy in areas ranging from defence to climate monitoring.
Looking ahead, the ambitious Space Vision 2047 targets, including the establishment of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035, an Indian Moon landing by 2040, and the development of a Next Generation Satellite Launch Vehicle by 2032, underscoring a long-term commitment to self-sufficiency in cutting-edge space capabilities.
Bolstering Regional Initiatives: The IMEC Case
The strategic implications of India鈥檚 indigenous space capabilities extend directly to its role in key international infrastructure initiatives, most notably the India-Middle-East Europe Economic Corridor. Launched amid geopolitical complexities, IMEC requires a robust security and operational backbone, which space technologies can provide.
Unlike China鈥檚 Belt and Road Initiative and its Space Silk Road, which is solely led by Chinese assets, IMEC is a multi-partner endeavour involving nations with advanced space capabilities like India, the EU, and the US. It offers a unique opportunity for an international Space-IMEC Industrial Consortium, leveraging mature space technologies from commercial entities across all founding partners.
India鈥檚 advancements in space-based Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance systems are crucial for IMEC鈥檚 secure operationalisation. Furthermore, the interoperability of India鈥檚 NAVIC with the EU鈥檚 Galileo and the US鈥檚 GPS provides resilient Positioning, Navigation, and Timing support along the corridor.
This is particularly vital for IMEC members such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, who can rely on NAVIC鈥檚 comprehensive coverage of their regions, ensuring efficient land-mode trade. The innovative application of downstream space technologies, from Earth observation for optimising routes and mitigating risks to satellite communications for seamless coordination, will enhance the security and prosperity of IMEC鈥檚 supply chains.
The emphasis on cybersecurity and a high-speed data pipeline, linking India鈥檚 IT services to West Asia and beyond, further solidifies the strategic relevance of India鈥檚 space assets in making IMEC a secure and prosperous corridor.
India As Global Space Powerhouse
India鈥檚 growing self-reliance in space is also transforming its position in the global space market, moving from a domestic focus to a Make in India for the World approach. The global-first strategies adopted by leading Indian space start-ups are a convincing sign of things to come. Bellatrix Aerospace has established offices in the US and plans to expand into Europe, securing international partnerships and sales pipelines. Similarly, Pixxel, Dhruva Space, and Agnikul Cosmos have an entirely global sales pipeline.
India鈥檚 space economy is projected to grow from $8.4 billion in 2023 to $44 billion by 2033 and the country aims to capture 10% of the global space economy by 2030. International forums like the India Space Congress 2025 serve as crucial 鈥渕atchmaking hubs鈥 for institutional investors, highlighting India鈥檚 expanding commercial opportunities.
Discussions on extending Earth Observation solutions to the Global South through US-India roundtables underscore India鈥檚 role as a collaborative partner for shared prosperity. While the emphasis remains on indigenous development, there is a strategic pivot towards technology transfer and international cooperation, embodying the ancient Indian philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, ensuring that India鈥檚 space prowess not only serves its national interests but also contributes to global well-being and security.