Author: Amy Wonnacott, Research Intern
Upon the mention of ‘space power’, our first thought will undoubtedly be of the US and Russia (former USSR) in the context of the Space Race. Sputnik, Apollo and the ISS spring to mind. Yet India’s contribution to outer space exploration is comparatively less well-known. The Indian space agency is one of the oldest in the world: established in 1962, it launched its first satellite in 1975 and as recently as August 2023 became the fourth country to land a probe on the moon. These efforts rarely make headlines in the UK. This may be because, until the start of this century, India’s achievements in outer space have emphasised regional socio-economic development, not the technological power projection that characterised the Space Race.
India’s space programme, directed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has entered an ambitious new phase. With plans to launch a fully operational space station by 2035 and its first crewed mission, Gaganyaan, scheduled for 2026, the country is steadily advancing toward ‘space power’ status. Recent milestones like the successful Chandrayaan-3 lunar landing in 2023 and the SpaDeX satellite docking demonstration in March 2025 showcase ISRO’s growing technical capacity.
Despite the strategic importance of outer space, the underlying principle of all human space endeavour is ‘for the benefit of all mankind‘. Every space-faring nation has a duty to adopt responsible space behaviours that are peaceful, transparent, sustainable and cooperative. As India’s ambitions for outer space grow, it can have a meaningful impact by actively demonstrating how responsible behaviours can be incorporated into an ambitious space program, and that advancement in the space domain can be conducted with a commitment to sustainability. If India succeeds in this regard, it may raise international standards for space sustainability and boost accountability in this field.
Defining Responsible Space Behaviours
Contrary to the vastness of outer space, Earth’s orbit is a limited resource. In the early days of space exploration, the orbital environment was largely empty and the need to protect it felt distant. Today, space is firmly embedded in daily life from navigation and communication to climate monitoring. With a surge in new space actors, both state and commercial, the challenges have increased: overcrowded orbits, limited regulation, and an absence of binding international space law.
The most significant threat to the orbital space environment is space debris – defunct, human-generated objects in Earth’s orbit such as broken satellites and rocket bodies. There are currently over 40,000 debris fragments larger than 10cm, which could cause significant damage in the event of a collision. Continued production of space debris will lead to Kessler Syndrome, a continuous chain reaction of in-orbit collisions that render space unusable. Current efforts to mitigate this threat are insufficient. It is therefore crucial that all space actors adhere to international guidelines and actively work towards debris mitigation and sustainable space missions.
Measures to ensure space sustainability can be seen as part of a wider category of responsible space behaviours. These voluntary commitments, outlined by the UN in documents such as the 2021 report on reducing space threats, are crucial for increased transparency of outer space actions, reducing hostility. Responsible space behaviours can be summarised as actions which are peaceful, transparent, sustainable and cooperative. These behaviours need to be integrated in all aspects of space activity, both scientific and strategic. As an actor with strong presence in both, India’s adherence to these behaviours is crucial on its path to becoming a space power.
Encouraging responsible space behaviours
ISRO’s focus on socio-economic development puts India in a strong position to champion sustainability in space. But how does India demonstrate space behaviours that are peaceful, transparent, sustainable and cooperative?
Peaceful
The development of ISRO has maintained a focus on space for socio-economic development and not for security. Its first significant project was the Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) programme for monitoring agriculture, land and water resources in response to the needs of the nation. However, outer space dynamics are increasingly representative of earth-based geopolitics. Regional terrestrial rivalries are reflected in the race to develop advanced space technologies. In addition to scientific research and sustainability developments, both China and India have made significant advancements in counter-space capability through the militarisation of their space programs since 2007. From this, it is clear that geopolitics has begun to influence India’s space program, extending its rivalry with China for regional dominance into the outer space domain. While India may perceive these developments as necessary to mitigate a security threat, it is crucial that strategic priorities are compatible with international norms, and signal to the world that India is sensitive to ensuring peaceful behaviours in space, while ensuring its own security.
Transparent
India has been an active member of UN space forums, including chairing the Long-Term Sustainability Working Group in 2021 and supporting international dialogue and information sharing. Technologically, Space Situational Awareness (SSA), the ability to monitor and predict the location of objects in space, is crucial way to increase transparency. While all space powers have SSA capability to a certain extent, the USA has the most developed system and leads in sharing this data with other space-faring nations. In 2023, ISRO announced the creation of the Space Situational Awareness Control Centre to develop its own SSA capability. By developing and sharing its own capability, India contributes to the transparency and understanding of the outer space environment and solidifies itself as a key leader in responsible behaviours.
Sustainable
In 2024, India pledged to achieve Debris-Free Space Missions (DFSM) by 2030, echoing the European Space Agency’s Zero Debris Charter. This is a key commitment, recognising the threat of space debris and the subsequent actions to be taken. Yet the true test of sustainable space behaviours is seen in practice, and ISRO’s recent technical achievements have made significant progress, bringing it in line with the US’ advanced reusable space technologies. Reusable launch vehicles (RLV) reduce manufacturing expenses and reduce the amount of waste. Presently, the only active RLVs have been developed by private US corporations, such as SpaceX’s Falcon 9. China, Russia and India have made good progress in developing this technology. Additionally, India’s SpaDeX mission, completed in 2025, demonstrated the docking of two satellites in-orbit, highly significant for the future of sustainable space operations, including on-orbit servicing, longer satellite lifespans and fewer launches, using less fuel and materials. When compared to space operations globally, India does well but still has a long way to go in developing the functionality of this capability.
Cooperative
ISRO has consistently valued international cooperation from its inception and now has formal cooperative agreements with over 59 states, including both space powers and developing space nations. It emphasises good relations with all space actors, collaborating on large-scale projects with the US and Europe and smaller initiatives with states such as Brazil, Japan and Israel. It is increasingly able to support developing space nations, particularly in the Global South. India’s emphasis on inclusive socio-economic development is reflected in the 2017 launch of the South Asia Satellite, a regional initiative to extend the benefits of space technology to neighbouring countries including Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. By offering services in telecommunications, environmental monitoring, telemedicine, and education, the satellite supports critical infrastructure and disaster resilience across the region. While undoubtedly boosting regional capability, the satellite has been recognised as a foreign policy tool to enhance regional leverage.
What next?
Despite widespread endorsement of voluntary space sustainability frameworks, orbital congestion continues to escalate, threatening the space-based technologies on which society relies. As a rising space power with both technological prowess and a commitment to socio-economic progress, India holds a unique opportunity, and responsibility, to take leadership and shape global norms. It ought to:
- Firmly embed debris mitigation into all aspects of the space agenda;
- Prioritise the development of sustainable space technologies (such as docking and RLVs) to incorporate into all operations;
- Emphasise the demonstration of behaviours that are peaceful, transparent, sustainable and cooperative.
India is on the right track – but now it can set a powerful example. If India ensures that its ambitious missions align with sustainability goals, it can not only bolster its credibility but also drive collective accountability in the global space community.
