India must accelerate data integration to unlock innovation in space sector: Srikant Sastri, Chairman, GDPDC, DST, GoI
March 12, 2026
FICCI Bharat Space Conclave 2026 spotlights technology, policy and industry collaboration driving India’s space and geospatial ecosystem
NEW DELHI, 12 March 2026: Mr Srikant Sastri, Chairman, GDPDC, Department of Science & Technology, Govt of India today while addressing the FICCI Bharat Space Conclave 2026, stated that globally the trend is moving towards greater data integration and India must accelerate its efforts in this direction. “With the ongoing data explosion, much of our data remains locked in silos. If we break these silos and enable greater integration, there is tremendous innovation potential,” he added.
Dr Vinod Kumar, Director – PD, IN-SPACe, emphasised that the government’s role is to act as an enabler. He noted that the introduction of the Indian Space Policy and the Foreign Direct Investment policy for the space sector has laid out a clear roadmap for the growth of India’s commercial space sector. The policy framework clearly defines the roles of various stakeholders within India’s evolving space ecosystem, he added.
Mr Vikrant Rana, Managing Partner, S.S. Rana & Co., highlighted that India’s space story has evolved faster in the last five years than in the previous five decades. He observed that the country has transitioned from a largely state-led scientific programme to a vibrant mixed ecosystem where startups are building satellites, private companies are launching rockets, and investors increasingly view India as a major space market.
Mr Sanjay Nekkanti, Co-Chair, FICCI Committee on Space & Geospatial Applications and Co-Founder & CEO, Dhruva Space, said that adapting to change has become central to the way the space industry is evolving in India. “While we are building capability and capacity within the country, we are also exploring how this growing capacity can serve as a multiplier for global efforts,” he said.
FICCI - S.S. Rana & Co. report ‘Legal Frontiers of Outer Space: International Norms and India’s Regulatory Evolution’, was released during the event which highlights the emerging legal and regulatory frameworks shaping the future of India’s space sector.
The session concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Mr. Anup Jindal, Co-Chair, FICCI Committee on Space & Geospatial Applications and CEO, RMSI.
Link of the report: https://meet.ficci.in/documents/space_law_book.pdf