BRICS Space Cooperation Advances Toward Permanent Space Council Under India's 2026 Chairship
Primary region BRICS
Tags Diplomacy · Policy
Regions BRICS
BRICS member states agreed to establish a permanent BRICS Space Council and are advancing joint space exploration, satellite data sharing, and lunar research station development. The International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), led by China and Russia with a first mission slated for 2029, has attracted 17 states and 50+ research institutes. India, as BRICS chair for 2026, is promoting the ShakthiSAT program to train 12,000 girls from 108 countries for lunar satellite construction, with a final satellite launch to lunar orbit planned for 2026. China's CNSA announced joint lunar research is shifting from short-term missions to construction of long-term facilities, targeting 2031-2035 for ILRS construction. The UAE is contributing its Hope probe Mars mission experience. The space cooperation was formalized following agreements at the July 2025 Rio summit and April 2025 Brasilia meeting.
Strategic interpretation
The institutionalization of BRICS space cooperation through a permanent council represents a concrete step toward the bloc's goal of reducing technological asymmetries with the West. The ILRS project, positioned as an alternative to the US-led Artemis Accords, signals that space is becoming a new domain of geopolitical competition. India's ShakthiSAT program serves dual purposes: advancing soft power through STEM diplomacy while building a talent pipeline for its domestic space industry. The UAE's participation demonstrates how Gulf states are diversifying their space partnerships beyond traditional Western alliances.