Bengaluru: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday pitched the ‘BRICS Space Economy’ as the next frontier of global growth and called for collective action among member nations to unlock opportunities in innovation, investment, entrepreneurship and sustainable development.
Addressing the valedictory session of the BRICS Heads of Space Agencies (HOSA) meeting here, Singh said BRICS countries possess the scale, scientific expertise, technological strengths and industrial capacity needed to emerge as a major force in the rapidly expanding global space economy.
“The future of the space economy will not be shaped by nations working in isolation. It will be shaped by partnerships, shared innovation and collective ambition. BRICS countries have the potential to become one of the strongest pillars of this emerging global space ecosystem,” Singh said.
According to a statement, Singh released the Indian Space Industry Brochure, exchanged mementoes with the participating heads of space agencies and interacted with representatives of India’s fast-growing NewSpace sector.
The interaction showcased the growing capabilities of Indian space startups and private enterprises before the visiting BRICS delegations.
Hosted by ISRO under India’s BRICS Chairship in 2026, the two-day meeting brought together heads of space agencies and senior officials from Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
Singh said space technology has emerged as one of the most powerful drivers of economic transformation and societal progress, helping countries strengthen communication networks, navigation systems, disaster preparedness, agriculture, healthcare, education and environmental monitoring.
He said challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, food and water security, environmental degradation and sustainable urbanisation increasingly require collective solutions supported by advanced space technologies.
The meeting reviewed progress in BRICS space cooperation and deliberated on key issues, such as space sustainability, debris-free missions, strengthening the BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation (RSSC), expanding the participation of new BRICS members in existing cooperation mechanisms, and advancing discussions on the proposed BRICS Space Council.
Deliberations covered future collaboration in disaster management, Earth observation, capacity building and knowledge sharing.
Referring to BRICS’ growing role in the global space sector, Singh said the grouping represents a significant share of the world’s population, economic output, scientific expertise and technological capabilities.
He said deeper cooperation among BRICS countries could create new opportunities for innovation, industrial partnerships, technology transfer, investment and economic growth while addressing common developmental priorities.
Singh said the BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation had already demonstrated the value of collaborative space applications through satellite data sharing among member countries.
He expressed confidence that ongoing discussions on institutional mechanisms, including the proposed BRICS Space Council, would provide greater momentum and continuity to future cooperation in the space sector.
The minister said India’s space programme has consistently focused on ensuring that the benefits of space technology reach ordinary citizens.
He said that, guided by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s space sector had undergone transformative reforms that opened unprecedented opportunities for private industry, startups, academia and global partnerships, resulting in one of the world’s fastest-growing space ecosystems.
Singh said India’s achievements, including Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1, as well as the ongoing Gaganyaan mission, had expanded the frontiers of science and technology while creating new avenues for international collaboration in advanced space research and applications.
Emphasising the importance of sustainability, he said the long-term future of space activities depends on preserving outer space as a safe, secure and sustainable domain.
Singh called for greater international cooperation, transparency, responsible behaviour and capacity building to address challenges arising from increasing space traffic and orbital debris.
He welcomed the discussions held during the meeting on debris-free missions and sustainable space operations as important steps towards safeguarding the space environment for future generations.
Calling for a more ambitious vision of cooperation, Singh said India envisions BRICS space engagement evolving from coordination to co-creation.
“BRICS nations must move beyond consultation and work towards co-development, co-innovation and co-creation. By bringing together our scientists, engineers, industries, startups and young innovators, we can develop solutions for global challenges, create new economic opportunities and build a stronger framework for scientific advancement and shared prosperity,” he said.
Singh reaffirmed India’s commitment to working closely with all BRICS partners to transform shared aspirations into concrete outcomes and to ensure that space continues to serve as a powerful force for development, resilience, innovation, sustainability and international cooperation.
ISRO Chairman V Narayanan, who attended the meeting, said the heads of space agencies discussed the use of the BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation for the socio-economic benefit of member countries, as well as measures to ensure the sustainability of space activities through debris-free mission management systems.
“There were extensive discussions on the use of the remote sensing satellite constellation for the socio-economic benefit of BRICS countries, including disaster management, climate change and related areas,” he told reporters after the meeting.
Narayanan described the meeting as “quite interesting” and said participants had also deliberated on sustainability in space operations.
“We discussed measures to ensure sustainability through debris-free mission management systems,” he said.
