India Space Congress Opens With Focus on Global Cooperation, AI and Data-Driven Space Economy

The inaugural edition of the India Space Congress (ISC) began on Monday with extensive discussions on the future of the global space economy, highlighting the importance of international collaboration, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced data analytics in driving the next phase of growth in the space sector.

Organised by the Satcom Industry Association (SIA)-India , the three-day event has brought together policymakers, diplomats, industry leaders, technology experts and investors from across the world to deliberate on emerging opportunities and challenges in the rapidly evolving space ecosystem.

A major theme on the opening day was the growing need for countries to work together by leveraging their complementary strengths in technology, manufacturing, innovation, talent and investment . Participants discussed ways to build globally connected and resilient space ecosystems capable of supporting economic growth and technological advancement.

Speaking at the event, Dr Subba Rao Pavuluri , President of SIA-India, said that reimagining the global space landscape, strengthening collaboration and shaping the next era of space development are interconnected priorities. He emphasised that as economies become increasingly dependent on satellite-enabled services, communication networks and navigation systems, space should be viewed as critical infrastructure .

Pavuluri noted that the opportunities emerging in the space sector are too significant for any single nation, company or institution to pursue independently. According to him, the future will belong to those who collaborate to build resilient, secure and sustainable space capabilities .

The Congress also featured discussions on the transformative role of AI, geospatial intelligence, Earth observation, advanced analytics and next-generation computing . Experts highlighted how these technologies are helping convert vast amounts of space-generated data into practical solutions for governance, disaster management, environmental monitoring, agriculture and economic planning.

Former Ministry of Earth Sciences Secretary Dr Shailesh Nayak said the future value of the space economy will increasingly depend on the ability to transform space-derived data into actionable intelligence that supports sustainable development, governance, economic growth and societal impact .

The event will continue until Wednesday with further deliberations on innovation, commercial opportunities and global partnerships in the space industry.