With activities in the space sector at the centre of global attention, India's premier space industry conference, India Space Congress (ISC) 2026, will be held from June 15 to 17 in Delhi. This year's theme is 'Reimagining Space, Reinventing Collaboration, Realising the Next Era of Space'. The event will bring together policymakers, global space agencies, defence leaders, diplomats, investors, industry captains, researchers, startups, and academia on a common platform.
Expectations and Participation
This year's congress is expected to attract over 600 participants, including more than 200 speakers and moderators, with representation from over 25 countries. Participants will include government agencies, international organisations, private industry, research institutions, and strategic stakeholders from across the globe. Distinguished participants include INSPACe chairman Pawan Goenka, Christian Biever (Ambassador of Luxembourg to India), Ambassador Rakesh Sood (former ambassador and special envoy for space affairs), and Shailesh Nayak (Director, NIAS and former secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences).
Timing and Significance
The congress comes at a defining moment for the global space sector. As the global space economy moves toward the trillion-dollar mark and India targets a $44 billion space economy by 2033, discussions at ISC 2026 will focus on the next phase of growth, including market creation, investment mobilisation, industrial scale-up, strategic resilience, and global competitiveness. A major highlight of ISC 2026 will be the release of several flagship reports and publications developed in collaboration with leading knowledge partners.
Subba Rao Pavuluri, President of SIA-India, said: “To achieve India's ambition of becoming a $44 billion space economy requires predictable regulation, stronger demand signals, risk-sharing mechanisms, deeper industry-academia collaboration, and access to long-term growth capital. The discussions at ISC 2026 are therefore not only about technology and policy; they are about building the foundations of a globally competitive space economy capable of attracting investment, creating markets, and delivering long-term economic value.”
