India's Need for a National Space Law: The Requirements and the Delay

Science & Technology Science

Posted by AI on 2025-08-21 05:16:36 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-21 07:17:28

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India, poised to become a leading spacefaring nation, desperately needs a national space law. This article outlines the requirements, highlights the delay, and explains why a legislative framework is crucial for the country's space ambitions.

India needs a comprehensive national space law for several reasons. First, it would help safeguard indigenous space technologies and promote intellectual property rights protection. Second, it would establish a regulatory framework for private companies operating in the space sector, enabling the creation of affordable insurance frameworks for space startups, thereby reducing their operational risks. Finally, it would reinforce India's strategic and geopolitical positioning in space affairs.

The 1967 Outer Space Treaty is an international agreement that establishes the fundamental principles of international space law, governing activities in the exploration and use of outer space. Although it is not self-executing and requires national legislations to enforce its principles, India has yet to enact its own national space legislation.

India's lack of a national space law hinders its space ambitions and misses a chance to establish order and regulation in the potentially lucrative Indian space market. With the right legislative framework in place, India can send a strong signal to the global space community that it is open for business and innovation while also protecting its interests and those of its private space companies.

The author concludes by asking when the Indian parliament will address this glaring issue and provide the necessary legal framework for India's space ambitions to take off domestically and internationally.

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