India positions itself as global space leader, says Jitendra Singh at IISC 2025
New Delhi, November 18. Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh has said that India is steadily securing its place as a leading global space power, backed by sweeping reforms and strong international interest in the country’s rapidly expanding space ecosystem.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the India International Space Conclave (IISC 2025), organised by the Indian Space Association (ISpA), here on November 18, the Minister said India is emerging as a preferred hub for space-sector collaboration and investment. The steady flow of foreign delegations in recent months, he noted, reflects growing confidence in India’s capabilities.
Dr Singh said India’s space sector is undergoing a “decisive transformation” shaped by the government’s reform-driven approach – an evolution that mirrors this year’s Conclave theme, ‘Expanding Horizons: Innovation, Inclusion & Resilience in the New Space Age’. He told industry leaders, diplomats, global agencies and startups that policy changes have created an ecosystem where talent, technology and capital can converge to fuel the next phase of India’s space economy.
The Minister said the theme aptly captures the momentum visible across the country’s space landscape. While India always possessed deep scientific expertise, he said the real inflection point came when policymakers opened the sector to broader participation. Key reforms – including opening space activities to private enterprise, establishing IN-SPACe as a single-window regulator, and unveiling India’s space policy in 2023 – have helped the country assume a more influential role internationally.
Dr Singh emphasised the theme’s “inclusion” dimension, observing that what was once a closed domain is now witnessing mass participation. More than 300 space startups have emerged in just a few years – many attracting global investment – and thousands of citizens now travel to watch rocket launches. This, he added, reflects the scale of previously untapped talent.
On “innovation”, the Minister highlighted India’s major milestones, from Chandrayaan’s historic south pole landing and discovery of lunar water to the Mangalyaan mission and ISRO’s record-setting launch of 104 satellites in one mission. But he stressed that India’s most meaningful contribution lies in its use of space technology to improve governance and public services. Nearly 70 percent of India’s space applications today support citizen welfare, he said, citing programmes such as Gati Shakti for infrastructure planning, SWAMITVA for land mapping, satellite-backed disaster management, telemedicine services in remote regions and advanced railway safety systems.
He added that this dual focus on innovation and inclusion enhances the country’s “resilience”, another core element of the Conclave’s theme. Satellite-based systems now support disaster response, weather prediction, agriculture and nationwide connectivity. India is also extending these capabilities across the neighbourhood, with space services benefiting Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Myanmar.
Dr Singh said the strong interest from Japan, Italy and other visiting delegations underscores India’s rising profile as a global destination for space partnerships. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for breaking long-standing policy barriers in sectors such as space and atomic energy, enabling India to expand its global footprint.
With IISC 2025 bringing together ministries, investors, startups, space agencies and academia, the Minister said the discussions underway will accelerate India’s progress in building an innovative and resilient space ecosystem. With the country’s space economy projected to grow fivefold in the coming years, he said India is poised to strengthen its position in the global space order – an ambition reflected in this year’s Conclave theme.
