India launched its space program in 1962 with barely any funding or resources. Engineers used bicycles to carry parts for the country’s first rocket launch a year later.
From these humble beginnings, India has risen to become a superpower in space. It has orbited the moon 3 times and was the first in the world to land near the lunar south pole. In 2014, it was the first Asian nation to orbit Mars and the first in the world to succeed on its first try. Data captured by these, and other missions, underpins global lunar research.
India is still aiming for the stars: it wants to grow its space economy to US$40 billion by 2040. It has announced US$2.7 billion for 4 new programs. These include another mission to the Moon, sending an orbiter to Venus, building its first space station, and developing a new reusable rocket to launch satellites. It is also planning its first manned spaceflight and a second mission to Mars.
‘India’s space program is one of the world’s most advanced,’ says Nathan Davis, Trade and Investment Commissioner, Austrade. ‘The government encourages private sector collaboration and international partnerships. This means opportunities for Australian space technology and services providers.’
A long history of cooperation between Australia and India
Australia and India signed their first space memorandum of understanding in 1987. In 2021, the 2 countries signed an MOU to increase cooperation across civil space activities. India has been encouraging public-private partnerships in areas such as component manufacturing and satellite assembly, integration and testing. There is also strong demand for satellite-based services.
There are many opportunities for Australian companies in India’s space sector. One of the most exciting is supporting the Gaganyaan mission, India’s first manned spaceflight. Australia and India recently signed an agreement to cooperate on the safe recovery of the Gaganyaan crew module, and support any crew search and rescue activity.
India is an ideal proving ground for Australia’s space technologies and services. Australian companies can test, validate and scale their innovations to drive growth and technological advancements.
Adelaide-based satellite manufacturing company HEX20 opened an office in Kerala in 2023. It was drawn to India’s robust space ecosystem, including the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s network of suppliers, subcontractors and highly skilled resources for manufacturing and R&D.
HEX20 has several projects on the go, including launch contracts with Skyroot Aerospace and Agnikul Cosmos. It is partnering with Indian startups and educational institutions to develop products such as satellite sub systems and small satellite platforms. It is also in early-stage discussions with several Indian companies to explore joint missions.
‘India’s space sector offers tremendous opportunities for collaboration,’ says Lloyd Jacob Lopez, HEX20’s CEO. ‘The two governments have announced funding to support partnerships, and there are exciting prospects across the Asia-Pacific region, where many are already working with India’s growing space ecosystem.
‘India offers access to engineers experienced in ISRO and other space-tech organisations,’ adds Lopez. ‘There is also the chance to contribute to pioneering missions within the Asia-Pacific region.’
Head of the Australian Space Agency Enrico Palermo and High Commissioner of India to Australia, His Excellency Mr Gopal Baglay.
Stellar partnership opportunities for Australian companies
Australian and Indian space organisations are forging partnerships across a range of areas, from launch services to satellite manufacturing and research and development. The International Space Investment India Projects (ISI India Projects) supports Australian businesses and research organisations to conduct joint projects with the Indian space sector.
In 2024, the program awarded grants to three Australian companies – LatConnect60, Space Machines Company and Skykraft. Each project will include Australian and Indian partners, and will help address climate change, boost manufacturing, and advance artificial intelligence.
Helping India’s farmers with satellite data
LatConnect60 uses Earth Observation (EO) data gathered by its proprietary satellites to generate insights for industry and government. The company will use its ISI grant to develop and build a low earth orbit satellite in Australia to collect information on carbon emissions at a very high resolution. LatConnect 60 has partnered with India’s Skyroot Aerospace to launch the satellite in late 2026.
‘There is significant cross-border collaboration potential,’ says Venkat Pillay, LatConnect 60’s CEO. ‘The number of satellite infrastructure companies in India is growing rapidly. There is potential for Australia and India to co-develop satellite hardware subsystems and software, and co-market each other’s products.’
LatConnect 60 is also interested in India’s agriculture sector. ‘India has a large number of small farms that require better, more timely insights,’ says Pillay. ‘This is a tremendous opportunity to support them with our satellite EO-enabled smart farming app. We plan to open an office in India and work with local partners to roll out our solution.
Collaborating with India to understand space debris
Space Machines Company will integrate its Optimus Rapid Response Vehicle with New Space India Limited’s SSLV launcher, applying the same principles that revolutionised cloud computing to space operations. Once in orbit, the vehicle will demonstrate Space Machines Company’s distributed approach to space sustainability, combining close-proximity operations with AI-driven decision support to address the growing challenge of space debris.
Named after the Sanskrit word for friendship, the Space MAITRI mission brings together commercial, institutional, and government space organisations from Australia and India. The aim: to demonstrate how proliferated capabilities can deliver superior reliability at lower costs while promoting responsible space operations.
‘This collaboration showcases how distributed capabilities can transform space security,’ says Sharmila Fernando, Head of Marketing and Communications. ‘Through this first-of-its-kind partnership, Space Machines Company, NSIL and mission partners will demonstrate how proliferated, responsive capabilities can address space debris challenges while delivering actionable intelligence through close-proximity operations. This approach ensures not just the long-term sustainability of space, but also creates a more resilient space ecosystem through distributed operations.’
Improving the accuracy of navigational systems
Skykraft provides Air Traffic Management (ATM) services from space. The company uses small satellites and specialised ATM infrastructure to support air navigation service providers worldwide.
The ISI grant will allow Skykraft to validate a new Position, Navigation and Timing system. The aim is to better connect large-scale satellite constellations, which are vital for Earth observation and forecasting weather. The project will bring together institutions from Australia and India.
A significant aspect of this collaboration is the access provided to Indian researchers and students. They will be able to use Australian-generated data and test waveforms on Australian-built and operated satellites, fostering closer business, technology and cultural ties between the 2 nations.
Austrade assistance launches new business
Austrade, in partnership with other government agencies, has hosted business missions to key space expos in India, showcasing the strength of our space industry and our bilateral commitment to fostering deeper collaboration with India.
At the Bengaluru Space Expo in September 2024, where Australia was an innovation partner, Australian companies announced 8 new partnerships with Indian organisations. This follows six MOUs signed in 2022.
Austrade has also supported Indian delegations to visit Australia. In July 2024, the Indian Government brought its first space delegation to Australia for the Australian Space Forum. During the visit, Australian and Indian space companies exchanged 8 preliminary MOUs.
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