ISC 2025: India's space sector soars towards a collaborative and innovative future

Day one of the Indian Space Congress (ISC) 2025 concluded with a resounding message of collaboration, innovation, and strategic growth for India's burgeoning space sector. Experts and leaders from government, industry, and academia converged to discuss critical themes ranging from payload manufacturing and multi-orbit SATCOM to the commercialisation of Earth Observation (EO) data and international partnerships.

 A major highlight was the live viewing of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) launch, carrying Indian Air Force Group Captain and astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station, underscoring India's growing global presence in space.

Shaping India's payload manufacturing ecosystem

The session "Payload Pioneers: Showcasing India’s Diverse Payload Manufacturing Ecosystem" brought to light the exciting synergy between ISRO's legacy and industry's innovation. Ashish Mishra of ISRO's Space Applications Centre expressed optimism, stating, "The way industry has stepped up to respond to national and commercial space demands, it’s encouraging for ISRO, and for India. With ISRO continuing to lead with its legacy and expertise, and industry now complementing with energy and innovation, India's space future is collaborative, expansive, and exciting."

However, the discussion also addressed pressing challenges. Dr. Chaitanya Giri from Observer Research Foundation highlighted the "painful but pressing issue" of supply chain challenges and import dependencies for critical components, particularly in sourcing for space and tech manufacturing. Arup Banerjee of SpectraGaze emphasised the crucial need for India to develop indigenous detector systems for electro-optical payloads to match global standards, asserting, "If you don’t do imaging detectors, optical telescope and its electronics, and data products all together, you really cannot make a good payload.”

The future is multi-orbit SATCOM

"The Future of Multi-Orbit SATCOM" session underscored that multi-orbit strategies are no longer optional. Harsh Verma of SES Satellites proclaimed, "Multi-orbit is now essential, not optional. We’re building AI-driven orchestration for dynamic, experience-based routing. Satellites must behave like clouds, agile and responsive."

Chris McIntosh of Methera Global Communications Limited highlighted that "multi-orbit strategies will be unique to each organisation," advocating for a blend of LEO for awareness and GEO for reliability, predicting that multi-orbit constellations will dominate within 5–10 years. Dharmendra Singh from Hughes Communications India echoed this sentiment, stating that "blending orbits gives the best service balance," but also cautioned that "true success hinges on profitability per hertz," acknowledging the cost and ROI challenges associated with LEO broadcasting. Srinath Logasubramanian of ReOrbit reinforced the idea that "all orbits have value—none can be ignored," stressing the necessity of "sovereign capability in LEO" through collaboration. Similarly, Harsimranjit Gill from Intelsat articulated that "multi-orbit systems enhance, not replace, each other," and that their "integration creates superior connectivity solutions," adding that advancements in edge technology and clear regulation will be key drivers for scalability. Finally, Shri Arun Agarwal of the Department of Telecommunications, India, underscored the foundational importance of regulatory clarity, stating, "Spectrum allocation depends on finalising policies. Regulatory clarity must come first. Policy is the foundation for space innovation."

Satcom enabling smart connectivity across industries

The session on "Satcom Enabling Smart Connectivity Across Industries" explored how satellite communication is becoming a cornerstone for various sectors. Dr. P.K. Jain, Director, IN-SPACe, highlighted a joint assessment with the Department of Space revealing "saturation in broadband and rising demand in IoT," and a review of 900 Tbps capacity.

International perspectives also enriched the discussion as  Adi Rahman Adiwoso, PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara, shared Indonesia's focus on affordability and strategic self-reliance in Satcom, emphasising that "D2D raises tough but necessary questions around sovereignty" and seeing India as a key partner.

Thomas Antony, APT Satellite Company Ltd, noted Satcom's vital role in mobility sectors like aviation and maritime, and for remote data tasks like census operations, stressing the need for "thoughtful regulation, global cooperation, and flexible pricing models."

While Sukhraj Kaur, Analysys Mason (Moderator), reinforced this, stating, "As Satcom expands, we must focus on thoughtful regulation, global cooperation, and flexible pricing models to ensure scalable, equitable access across industries.”

Integration of space products and services with GeM

"Integration of Space products and services with GeM" focused on streamlining procurement and fostering indigenous technology. Air Vice Marshal Dhananjay Khot (Retd), Director Strategy & Planning, IN-SPACe, emphasised GeM as a tool to "accelerate market forces and unify fragmented sectors" and build "smart, scalable, and strategic frameworks for space-based governance.”

 Anangh Dutta, Director Category Management, Government e Marketplace (GeM), announced the rapid evolution of the platform, with over ₹14 lakh crores in orders processed and the launch of GeM 2.0 by December. A key call to action came from Maj Gen Sanjeev Grover, Advisor, Elena Geo Systems Private Limited, who urged the prioritisation and promotion of indigenous technology: "GPS is everywhere on GeM, but our own NavIC system is invisible. It’s more accurate, free, and ours. It should be the default.” Other speakers included Col Alok P. (Antaris Space, Geminus Space) on user-first thinking in procurement and  Amit Seymour (SATPALDA) on challenges with satellite imagery procurement formats. Saripally John (Comsat Systems) stressed the need for due diligence in awarding projects to startups.

Keynote addresses and fireside chats highlight collaboration and innovation

Dr. Thierry Klein, President, Nokia Bell Labs Solutions, in his inaugural address, emphasised the power of collaboration, stating, "It’s hard enough to do it as a team, almost impossible to do it alone." He highlighted Nokia Bell Labs' work in deploying cellular networks on the Moon and advancing 5G and 6G for space, noting that "Communication is no longer just a support system; it's the foundation of long-term exploration and commercial activity in space."

The "Fireside Chat with CEO ANRF" featured Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, CEO, Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), who outlined ANRF's pivotal role as the apex statutory body established under the National Education Policy 2020. He stated ANRF is "designed to drive strategic, interdisciplinary, and mission-mode research across sectors and industries," aiming to catalyse collaboration between academia, national laboratories, industry, MSMEs, and startups. Anil Prakash, Director General, SIA-India, stressed the importance of aligning national research priorities with India-specific societal challenges, while also raising concern over funding accessibility for early-stage innovation.concerns

Chris McIntosh, CEO, Methera Global Communications, delivered a keynote on "Protecting and Improving the Critical Space Infrastructure," emphasising that "Space assets are no longer optional, they’re absolutely critical.” He discussed NorthStar's MEO constellation being built to monitor threats and process intelligence in orbit using AI, offering resilient and secure operations.

Dr. Pawan K Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe (Special Guest of Honour), delivered a powerful address, urging ISRO to become “an orchestrator for the space industry” by enabling infrastructure, generating demand, de-risking private investment, and facilitating global partnerships. He stressed the need to move “from reliance on ISRO for business to build globally competitive full stack solutions” and encouraged the private sector to innovate, not just replicate. With India’s space policy evolving, he called for “urgency, boldness, and a global mindset,” concluding, “Let’s work together to make India not just space capable but space competitive, space strategic, and truly space global.”

Commercialisation of EO data: Unlocking new revenue streams

The session "Commercialisation of EO Data: Unlocking New Revenue Streams," moderated by  Ananyaa Narain, VP, Geospatial World Consulting, focused on business model innovation, policy alignment, and collaboration to unlock EO data's potential and contribute to the USD 44B state economy target by 2033.

Vasudeva Rao Vemana from Planet Labs championed the democratisation of satellites, advocating for data delivery via APIs, integration into workflows, and the widespread adoption of subscription models, cloud processing, and fusion platforms. Deepak Pareekh of HnyB Technologies emphasised "insight as a service" for farmers, directly linking food security to national security and urging private players to build trust for rural transformation. Árisz Kecskés from 4iG Space and Defence Technologies addressed monetisation challenges, highlighting the need for cultural shifts and strategic scaling within the agricultural sector's EO value chain. Finally, Dr. Deb Jyoti Pal of GalaxEye Space presented solutions for reliable data acquisition, discussing how fusing SAR and optical sensors overcomes cloud cover limitations in optical EO, alongside plans for satellite launches and in-orbit AI.

Unlocking bilateral growth and global impact through WA–India space collaboration

The session on "Unlocking Bilateral Growth and Global Impact through WA–India Space Collaboration" highlighted the deepening ties between Western Australia and India. Dr. Ian Martinus ACEcD, Investment and Trade Commissioner, India-Gulf, Invest and Trade Western Australia, expressed pride in supporting the Congress for the second year, stating, "With India’s rapidly growing space economy, now is the ideal time for our Indo-Pacific partnership to scale new frontiers in space."  Chris Cubbage CPP, CISA, GAICD, Editor in Chief, My Security Media, reinforced the importance of sustained conversations and collaboration.

Dr. Subbarao Pavuluri, President, SIA-India, noted that "collaboration is a two-way street," with India contributing to the world and vice versa, and highlighted the partnership with Australia bolstered by MEITY and the Maitri Programme. Dr. Vinod Kumar, Director, Promotion Directorate, IN-SPACe, highlighted India's ambition to grow from 2% to 8% of the global space economy and the surging interest in space-tech. Dr. Siddharth Pandey, FUGRO SpAARC, Protoplanet, emphasised strategic, people-focused partnerships in the university sector. Contributions from industry included Dr. Sireesh PALLIKONDA, Skyroot Aerospace, on their modular Vikram series launch vehicles for rapid integration, and  Venkat Pillay, Co-founder, LC60 AI - LatConnect 60, on building machine-to-machine (M2M) shared capabilities. Nathan Davis, Trade Commissioner, Australian Trade Commission, India, highlighted Austrade's focus on strengthening B2B ties and supporting Indian companies expanding into Australia.

India’s launch ecosystem: Catalysing capacity, competition, and global reach

The session on "India’s Launch Ecosystem: Catalysing Capacity, Competition, and Global Reach" addressed the challenges and advancements in launch vehicle development.  Sudheer Kumar N, Former Director CBPO, ISRO, emphasised the inherent difficulties in rocket science, from materials to testing, and underlined the importance of commercialisation and private sector participation, aligning with government policy for global market penetration.

Sireesh PALLIKONDA, VP Business Development, Skyroot Aerospace, highlighted how "launch bases are becoming the new currency," asserting that "India, with ISRO’s legacy and strategic geography, is well-positioned for dedicated launches," even with competition from lower-priced players like SpaceX. Giritharan Thiruppathirajan, Chief of Staff, Co-founder's office, AgniKul Cosmos, further elaborated on India's innovative approach, stating, "Setting up launchpads in multiple places should be very much important because the launch location has an influence in the orbit characteristics but setting up permanent infrastructure will cost huge. so that's why they're coming up with mobile launchpads - these are technical innovation that we are bringing with the help of ISRO and in space that will help customers to the last mile." He concluded powerfully, "From India’s first private launchpad to mobile launch systems, and ISRO's relentless support - this is how India's space-tech future is being built: collaboratively, rapidly, and ambitiously."