India Space Congress 2026 to Focus on Collaboration, Investment and Next Phase of Space Growth
New Delhi, June 14 (TNT) :The Space Industry Association of India (SIA-India) will host the India Space Congress (ISC) 2026, one of the country’s largest space industry conferences, from June 15 to 17 in New Delhi, bringing together policymakers, global space agencies, defence leaders, investors, industry executives, researchers, startups and academia.
The three-day event, to be held at Le Meridien, will be organised under the theme, “Reimagining Space, Reinventing Collaboration, Realising the Next Era of Space.”
According to SIA-India, the Congress is expected to attract more than 600 participants, including over 200 speakers and moderators from more than 25 countries. Representatives from government agencies, international organisations, private industry, research institutions and strategic stakeholders are expected to attend.
Prominent participants include Dr. Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe; His Excellency Mr. Christian Biever, Ambassador of Luxembourg to India; Ambassador Rakesh Sood, Former Ambassador and Special Envoy for Space Affairs; Dr. Shailesh Nayak, Director, NIAS and Former Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences.
The Congress will feature more than 60 sessions, strategic dialogues, workshops and leadership discussions covering satellite communications, Direct-to-Device connectivity, Earth observation, geospatial intelligence, launch systems, in-orbit servicing, navigation, defence space, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, sustainability, manufacturing, investment, policy and international cooperation.
The event comes amid rapid growth in the global space economy, which is projected to move towards the trillion-dollar mark, while India aims to build a USD 44 billion space economy by 2033. Discussions at ISC 2026 will focus on market creation, investment mobilisation, industrial expansion, strategic resilience and global competitiveness.
A major highlight of the event will be the release of several reports on defence space, Direct-to-Device satellite services, space infrastructure, on-orbit servicing and India’s space investment outlook.
The Congress will also witness the launch of the Indian Space Industry E-Catalog Platform, a digital industry directory aimed at improving visibility, collaboration and market access for companies operating in the space sector.
As part of its focus on talent development and innovation, SIA-India will host the India Space Policy Ideathon, known as GeoNiti, in collaboration with the Space Generation Advisory Council. The event is designed to encourage youth participation in space policy, Earth observation, climate intelligence and governance.
Winners of the Call for Papers programme, organised in partnership with the Centre of Excellence SpaceTech Foundation established by the Government of Karnataka and Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS), will also be recognised during the SIA Space Excellence Awards ceremony.
Commenting on the Congress, Anil Prakash, Director General, SIA-India, said there was a strong case for recognising space as critical infrastructure given the increasing dependence of economies on space-enabled communications, navigation, digital infrastructure, logistics, financial systems and national security applications.
He said such recognition could help unlock long-term financing, strengthen investor confidence and support the growth of globally competitive space enterprises, while future regulatory frameworks should balance compliance requirements with incentives for innovation and commercial growth.
Subba Rao Pavuluri , President, SIA-India said achieving India’s ambition of becoming a USD 44 billion space economy would require predictable regulations, stronger demand generation, risk-sharing mechanisms, deeper industry-academia collaboration and improved access to growth capital.
He said discussions at ISC 2026 would focus not only on technology and policy but also on building the foundations of a globally competitive space economy capable of attracting investment and creating long-term economic value.
With participation from global space agencies, defence organisations, investors, satellite operators, launch companies, manufacturers, technology providers and startups, ISC 2026 is expected to serve as a key platform for shaping the future of India’s space sector and strengthening its position in the global space economy.
TNT KM
