This course intends to acquaint students with the existing laws and policies governing space activities in India. It also addresses how India adheres to its international obligations and operationalises its international commitments through its national legal framework to govern space activities. In addition, this course introduces the students to the national space laws of other space-faring countries, including the Global South countries, in order to provide a comparative perspective. This is a standalone course, though knowledge of public international law will be helpful.

India is one of the global leaders in space science and technology. The Indian space programme started modestly in the 1960s, under the visionary leadership of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. From India’s first rocket launch from Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station in 1963 when rocket parts
were transported on bicycles and bullock carts to India becoming the first country to land on the lunar south pole with the Chandrayaan 3 mission in 2023, we have come a long way. Until recently, India’s civilian space programme was primarily carried out by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and private players were not allowed to engage in end-to-end space activities. In 2020, India began restructuring its space programme to allow and encourage private participation in the space sector. To facilitate and encourage the private sector, certain policy documents were formulated to bring regulatory certainty, such as (a) Indian Space Policy, 2023; and (b) Norms, Guidelines and Procedures for Implementation of Indian Space Policy, 2024. Earlier, in 2017, the Draft Space Activities Bill was proposed and based on feedback received, India plans to release a revised version soon. In light of the increased participation of the private sector in Indian space activities and growth of space sector being one of the focus areas of Viksit Bharat 2047!, it is important to understand the existing international space laws and national space governance documents as well as to compare these laws with the national space laws of other spacefaring countries including the countries of the Global South.

With the commercialisation of the space sector and increased private participation, the demand for space law experts is soaring. Space law is a niche field that requires a deep understanding of basic principles of space governance and nations’ motivations to invest and engage in space exploration and use. This course equips the students with these specialised insights so that they can easily navigate India’s space law landscape and beyond.