India Stakes a Bold Claim in Space With GLEX 2025 Showcase, Eyes Own Station by 2035

India’s ambitions in outer space are no longer confined to countdowns and lift-offs--they are being drafted into long-term blueprints that span moon missions, orbital habitats, and deep-space diplomacy. 

As Parliament was informed this week, the government is pushing ahead with bold plans to land an Indian on the moon by 2040 and establish a Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS) by 2035. These targets mark a strategic pivot in India’s space vision--from mission-by-mission milestones to a sustained human presence in space.

Image Source: ISRO Spaceflight

Alongside Gaganyaan’s advancing hardware and flight tests, India is deepening international cooperation, expanding private sector participation, and showcasing its technological independence through indigenous satellites and launch vehicles. 

Whether it’s real-time rail tracking via NAVIC or bilateral missions with NASA, France, and Japan, India is preparing to claim a leadership role in the global space order--and it’s not waiting for permission.

In a resounding assertion of its place in the spacefaring world, India had hosted the fourth edition of the Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX 2025) in New Delhi from May 7 to 9 this year--bringing together more than 1,700 delegates from 36 countries and setting a new benchmark for international collaboration, ambition, and vision in space.

Co-hosted by ISRO and the Astronautical Society of India under the aegis of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), GLEX 2025 featured a broad spectrum of sessions that spanned lunar exploration, Mars missions, deep space propulsion, space law, AI in space, and even insurance for orbital ventures. 

With over 650 technical papers presented across 40 sessions and 8 global networking forums, India positioned itself not just as a participant, but as a pivotal voice in shaping the future of space exploration.

Under the theme “Reaching New Worlds: A Space Exploration Renaissance,” the event’s plenary sessions included some of the world’s most prominent astronauts, mission architects, agency heads, and industry leaders. 

Significantly, India’s Gaganyaan crew designates joined a high-profile astronaut chapter alongside ten global astronauts, signaling both technological progress and international recognition.

But the conference was not all about optics. On the sidelines of GLEX, India held bilateral meetings with space agencies from key nations to chart collaborative missions in planetary science, space station development, and space economy integration. 

The momentum built at GLEX mirrors a quiet but determined push by India to shift from being an emerging player to an agenda-setter in global space strategy.

In parallel, ISRO’s work with the U.S. (NISAR), France (TRISHNA), and Japan (Lunar polar mission) continues to advance. And as per official data tabled in Parliament, India has formalized space cooperation agreements with 61 countries and five international bodies.

The bigger picture? A multipolar, competitive space age is already here--and India wants a leading seat at that table.

Gaganyaan and Beyond: The Space Station Dream

India’s homegrown human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, is making solid headway. According to a Parliamentary reply by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, all major components for the first uncrewed mission have been realized--including the crew module structure, service modules, escape systems, and key launch vehicle hardware. 

With the first Gaganyaan mission expected soon, India is preparing to join the elite league of nations that have launched astronauts into orbit aboard indigenous spacecraft.

But the roadmap doesn’t stop at low-earth orbit. The government has cleared approvals for precursor missions that will lead to the development of the Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS), India’s planned space station by 2035. A crewed lunar landing is targeted by 2040.

This signals a long-term, strategic commitment to building a full-spectrum space capability--from launchers and crew modules to orbital habitats and deep-space autonomy.

Private Sector Lift-Off

A quiet revolution is underway in the Indian space sector. The liberalization of space activity through IN-SPACe has enabled non-governmental entities (NGEs) to participate in everything from satellite design and launch to exploration technologies. 

With 77 authorizations, 79 MoUs, and 14 satellites already launched by Indian startups, the commercialization of Indian space is not a distant dream--it’s happening now.

Two sub-orbital test launches by private entities in 2022 and 2024, and upcoming access to Indian orbital slots, underscore a maturing and increasingly investor-ready ecosystem. 

The new Indian Space Policy 2023 has further opened the doors, offering venture funding, technical labs, and mentorship to spur innovation.

NAVIC Tracks India’s Ground Game

Even as India looks to the stars, it is keeping its feet grounded. As part of the push for indigenous navigation systems, over 8,700 Indian trains are already equipped with NAVIC-enabled GPS systems, and the number is expected to rise to 12,000. 

This comes amid the steady buildout of the NAVIC satellite constellation--currently comprising 11 satellites, with new launches (NVS-03, 04, and 05) planned in phases starting later this year.

NAVIC aims to reduce reliance on foreign GNSS systems and serve as a backbone for strategic and civilian applications alike—from railways to defense and disaster response.

India's Space Gamble Is No Longer Quiet

For decades, India’s space programme was marked by caution, thrift, and scientific excellence--an engineer’s approach to exploration. In 2025, it is increasingly becoming a diplomatic tool, an economic opportunity, a strategic lever, and an expression of national aspiration.

From the launchpads of Sriharikota to the conference halls of GLEX, India is making clear that its space ambitions are not second-tier or auxiliary--they are central to its 21st-century national identity.

The countdown is not just to Gaganyaan or BAS. The countdown is to a new geopolitical reality--where India’s presence in orbit will echo its ambitions on Earth.