Dr. Olivier Fink, Deputy Head of the Swiss Embassy in New Delhi speaking at the inauguration of the India Space Congress ©Embassy of Switzerland in India

Showcasing Swiss space expertise at the India Space Congress

To deepen ties between Switzerland and India in space research and innovation, Swissnex in India and the Embassy of Switzerland in India organised the Indo-Swiss Space Week from 22 to 28 June 2024, with the participation of 7 Swiss entities representing start-ups, research and development centres and academics.

India has ambitious plans for space exploration: a mission to return lunar samples to earth is planned in 2027; the Indian space station, the “Bharatiya Antariksha Station,” should be launched in 2035; a manned mission to the moon (only successfully achieved by the USA so far) is planned in 2040.

During the visit of the delegation, Switzerland participated as a Country Partner at the India Space Congress in New Delhi and organized a session where the members of the delegation could present the dynamic Swiss space ecosystem, and emphasized opportunities for bottom-up collaboration. With some 800 delegates, both from the Government and the private sector, the India Space Congress is the largest event of its type in India.

In a ‘One Switzerland’ approach, the Embassy of Switzerland in India highlighted how the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement between India and the EFTA states has opened new areas of engagement between the two countries, extending to space. The Swiss Business Hub India provided insights into establishing businesses in Switzerland. Swissnex in India showcased Swiss expertise in scientific instruments, which is evident in missions like CHEOPS, GAIA, and Exoplanets, etc.

The messages from the session aligned perfectly with the theme of the Space Congress: “Space Innovation: Bridging Boundaries, Transforming Tomorrow.” The session was a great success, with over 80 attendees and very positive feedback.

Switzerland was also represented in three additional panels at the India Space Congress. These sessions and presentations reinforced the position of Switzerland as a key player in the global space sector and helped to foster a deeper understanding of Swiss capabilities amongst Indian stakeholders, who are largely unaware of Switzerland’s prowess as a space nation.

The Indian space sector is now open to private sector participation, including from abroad. It is an opportunity of rich returns to companies and start-ups that are ready to take up the challenge. The start-ups present in the delegation got a deeper understanding of the latest trends in the Indian space research and innovation industry and the spacetech market and have defined the next steps for their individual ambitions within India.