Indian space sector calls for regulatory harmonisation and interoperability under proposed EU Space Law

Representatives of the Indian space industry have suggested that the European Union’s draft Space Law (draft EU Space Act) should recognise existing global and national frameworks, such as India’s In-SPACe, to prevent redundant regulation and promote harmonisation and interoperability that benefit both the Indian and the EU space industries.

The proposed EU Space Act will significantly influence licensing, safety, sustainability, and global partnerships, impacting how third-country operators, including India, engage with the European space ecosystem.

In a position paper jointly prepared by the Space Industry Association of India (SIA-India) and Grayspace Law & Policy Consulting (Belgium), the industry stakeholders said that unless regulatory requirements are carefully calibrated and aligned with established global practices, excessive compliance costs and fragmented international coordination could undermine Europe’s strategic position relative to other space-faring powers that operate under comparatively flexible frameworks that incentivise innovation and commercial growth.

Stating that Europe and India share a long-standing, mutually beneficial record of space cooperation in exploration and applications, the position paper argues that the act should build on this foundation by facilitating regulatory coherence and reciprocity, rather than risk introducing barriers that could constrain future cooperation and innovation.

SIA-India’s position paper calls for balanced regulation, early international collaboration, and mutual recognition of standards to ensure that Europe’s space sector remains open, competitive, and innovation-led, while strengthening cooperation with trusted partners such as India. It cautioned against several implementation risks, including regulatory overlap with existing frameworks such as IN-SPACe. Practical challenges related to third-country authorisation pathways and Qualified Technical Body (QTB) capacity constraints, potential market access barriers for start-ups and SMEs operating in hybrid or distributed supply chains, and risks of fragmented implementation have also been highlighted.

“This marks the first instance where SIA-India has engaged directly with an international regulator and formally presented India’s industry perspective on a global legislative initiative. Our engagement on the Draft EU Space Act goes beyond policy commentary or commercial considerations. Given the novelty of this initiative, it represents the beginning of a broader and continuing dialogue—one that will strengthen equitable partnerships and advance inclusive global space governance,” said Anil Prakash, Director General, SIA–India.

Over the past two decades, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched over 30 European satellites using its cost-effective and reliable PSLV system, providing European institutions and private enterprises with reliable access to space. Indian startups, such as KaleidEO, Pixxel, and Galaxeye, are working with European agritech and climate-monitoring firms to provide advanced Earth Observation (EO) data. Airbus has also established enduring industrial collaborations with Indian manufacturers, notably Ananth Technologies, which supplies critical subsystems for European satellites. Such partnerships demonstrate the interdependence of the European and Indian space ecosystems.