New Delhi: International cooperation will play a crucial role in shaping the space economy in the coming years — this was a key theme of discussions on the inaugural day of the India Space Congress (ISC), organised by the Satcom Industry Association (SIA)-India, on Monday.

During the event, leaders from several countries explored opportunities to leverage complementary strengths in technology, manufacturing, innovation, talent, and investment to build globally connected and resilient space ecosystems.

In a statement, Dr Subba Rao Pavuluri, president of the SIA-India, said, “Reimagining the global space landscape, reinventing collaboration, and realising the next era of space are not separate aspirations — they are interconnected imperatives. As economies become increasingly dependent on space-enabled services, space must be viewed as critical infrastructure.”

“The opportunities before us are too significant for any nation, company, or institution to pursue alone. The future will belong to those who collaborate to build resilient, secure, and sustainable space capabilities,” he added.

The ISC also witnessed discussions on the role of artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, geospatial intelligence, Earth observation, and next-generation computing in transforming the space sector.

Dr Shailesh Nayak, former secretary with the Ministry of Earth Sciences, in a statement, noted that the future value of the space economy will increasingly depend on the ability to convert vast streams of space-derived data into actionable intelligence capable of supporting sustainable development, governance, economic growth, and societal impact.

The three-day event, which has brought together policymakers, diplomats and industry leaders from across the world, will conclude on Wednesday.