PM Narendra Modi asks space-faring nations to choose co-operation over confrontation
The Prime Minister addressed the first International Space Summit in Paris on 10 September 2026 via video conference, at the invitation of the French President.
The address called on space-faring nations to prioritise "cooperation over confrontation, sustainability over short-term gain, and inclusion over exclusion" as orbital activity grows more crowded and technologically complex.
India's space programme was presented as delivering practical, low-cost applications for agriculture, fisheries, weather forecasting, disaster management, and navigation, alongside its record of cost-effective missions.
Other space-faring nations, including France, were invited to become "co-travellers" in India's space journey, building on a bilateral space partnership dating to the 1960s.
The address reaffirmed support for a safe, secure, and sustainable space domain anchored in international law, invoking the principle of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (one Earth, one family, one future).
The Outer Space Treaty (1967) and the Legal Order for Space
The Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies — commonly the Outer Space Treaty (OST) — was opened for signature in 1967 and forms the foundational instrument of international space law. It establishes that outer space is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, that space shall be used for peaceful purposes, that states bear international responsibility for national space activities (including those of private/non-governmental entities), and that states are liable for damage caused by their space objects. India is an original signatory to the OST. Calls for "cooperation over confrontation" and a "safe, secure, sustainable" space domain directly invoke OST principles of non-appropriation and peaceful use, especially amid growing orbital congestion and space-debris concerns.
Key Details
- Opened for signature 1967; entered into force the same year; India is a signatory.
- Core principles: non-appropriation of celestial bodies, peaceful use, state responsibility/liability for national space activity, freedom of exploration for all states.
- Newer frameworks build on but do not replace the OST — e.g., the Artemis Accords (2020), which India joined in June 2023 as the 27th signatory, are non-binding principles explicitly "grounded in" the OST, extending it to cover resource utilisation, debris mitigation, and interoperability.
The speech's emphasis on international law, sustainability, and inclusion in space governance reflects India's stated doctrine of supporting a rules-based, OST-anchored space order even as it deepens bilateral cooperation (e.g., with France) and multilateral frameworks (e.g., the Artemis Accords).
ISRO's Cost-Effective Mission Philosophy
ISRO's reputation for low-cost, high-reliability missions traces to a philosophy associated with its founding figure, Vikram Sarabhai, who argued in the 1960s that a space programme must directly serve development needs (communication, resource-mapping, disaster warning) rather than prestige alone. This "frugal engineering" approach — repurposing existing hardware, using short development cycles, and India's comparatively lower aerospace-engineering costs — has repeatedly produced missions cheaper than comparable international efforts: the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan, 2013-14) cost approximately USD 74 million, and Chandrayaan-3 (2023) approximately USD 75 million, both less than the production budget of the Hollywood film "Gravity" (~USD 100 million) and a fraction of NASA's comparable MAVEN Mars orbiter (~USD 582 million).
Key Details
- Mangalyaan (2013): India became the first country to reach Mars orbit on its maiden attempt; cost ~USD 74 million.
- Chandrayaan-3 (2023): India became the first country to land near the lunar south pole; cost ~USD 75 million.
- ISRO has flown over 430 satellites/payloads from 34 countries aboard Indian launch vehicles, underscoring its role as a commercial and cooperative launch-services provider.
The address's reference to ISRO's "technological excellence and cost-effective missions" and its role serving farmers, fishermen, and disaster managers is a direct continuation of this frugal-but-functional mission design philosophy, positioned as a model for inclusive international space cooperation.
India's Human Spaceflight Roadmap: Gaganyaan and Bharatiya Antariksh Station
Gaganyaan is India's indigenous human spaceflight programme, aimed at demonstrating crewed orbital flight capability, with its first crewed mission targeted for 2027. Beyond Gaganyaan, the Union Cabinet has approved extending the programme's scope to build India's own space station — the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) — to be assembled in orbit from five modules, with the first module targeted for launch in 2028 and full assembly by 2035. India has also set a goal of landing an Indian astronaut on the Moon by 2040.
Key Details
- Bharatiya Antariksh Station: first module launch targeted 2028 (on the LVM3 vehicle); full station by 2035.
- Gaganyaan: first crewed flight targeted 2027.
- Indian crewed Moon landing target: 2040.
These roadmap milestones underpin India's stated ambition — voiced in the address — to be a serious, cooperative space power inviting partner nations to be "co-travellers," rather than a purely national prestige programme.
- Address delivered 10 September 2026, by video conference, to the first International Space Summit, Paris (hosted at the invitation of the French President).
- ISRO has launched 430+ satellites from 34 countries aboard Indian rockets.
- Mangalyaan (2013-14) cost ~USD 74 million; Chandrayaan-3 (2023) cost ~USD 75 million; both cheaper than the film "Gravity" (~USD 100 million).
- India signed the Artemis Accords in June 2023 as the 27th signatory.
- Bharatiya Antariksh Station: first module targeted 2028, full assembly by 2035; Gaganyaan's first crewed flight targeted 2027; Indian Moon landing targeted 2040.
- Outer Space Treaty: opened for signature 1967; India is an original signatory.