BRICS Space Economy Pitch at Heads of Space Agencies Meet
Why in the news
India holds the BRICS chair in 2026. At the heads of space agencies meeting in Bengaluru, Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh urged members to move past consultation and build a shared space economy.
Key facts
- Event: BRICS Heads of Space Agencies (HOSA) meeting, Bengaluru, 23-24 June 2026; organiser ISRO.
- Speaker: Dr Jitendra Singh, MoS (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, Space and Atomic Energy, at the valedictory session on 24 June.
- Message: BRICS has the scale, science, technology and industry to be a major force in the global space economy.
Pillars of the BRICS Space Economy idea
| Pillar | Content |
|---|---|
| Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation | Data sharing for disasters, farming, weather, environment; working since 2021 |
| Proposed BRICS Space Council | Long-term policy coordination |
| Space sustainability | Debris-free missions, responsible operations |
| NewSpace and private participation | Startups, industry, scientists |
| Capacity building | Joint training, exchange, technology transfer |
| Earth observation and disaster management | Satellite applications for shared challenges |
About BRICS
- Grouping of major emerging economies for trade, investment, development finance, global governance and South-South cooperation.
- “BRIC” was coined in 2001 by economist Jim O’Neill; founding members of 2009 were Brazil, Russia, India and China; South Africa joined in 2010.
- Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE joined on 1 January 2024; Indonesia on 6 January 2025, making 10 members.
- 2025 chair: Brazil (17th Summit, Rio, July 2025). 2026 chair: India, its fourth time after 2012, 2016 and 2021.
About the RSSC
- Member space agencies share imagery from their Earth observation satellites through a dedicated portal.
- Contributing satellites include CBERS-4, the Gaofen and Ziyuan series, Kanopus-V, Resourcesat-2 and the legacy SumbandilaSat.
Background: ISRO and IN-SPACe
- ISRO: national space agency set up 15 August 1969 under the Department of Space, headquartered at Bengaluru. Missions: Chandrayaan-3 (August 2023, first landing near the Moon’s south pole), Aditya-L1 (January 2024), Mangalyaan (2014); Gaganyaan targeted for 2026-27 and Bharatiya Antariksh Station planned for 2035.
- IN-SPACe: autonomous single-window regulator for private space activity; established June 2020, functional from 2022; headquartered at Bopal, Ahmedabad; chairman Dr Pawan Goenka.
Exam angle
- India’s BRICS chair year: 2026 (earlier 2012, 2016, 2021).
- RSSC working since 2021; ISRO founded 1969; IN-SPACe at Ahmedabad.
- Latest BRICS entrant: Indonesia, January 2025.