By Dr Amit Telang
High Commissioner of India to Guyana
Ambassador of India to CARICOM

IN 2024, the New York Times published a cartoon- Elite Space Club. The picture was telling. It showed a poor Indian man with a cow knocking at the door of an ‘Elite Space Club’. Fast forward to December 24, 2025, India’s successful LVM3-M6 launch placed one of the heaviest known Spacecraft- BlueBird Block-2 in its intended orbit. History was made. The New York Times kept quiet. There was no article, there was no deriding cartoon. Silence spoke a thousand words.
No. It is not about the invisible divide. It is not about the haves and have-nots. It is about sharing and soaring together. This is not about contempt; it is about collaboration and co-operation. The fact that the United States chose an Indian launch vehicle to place its heaviest communication satellite shows the trust and recognition of the Indian space sector’s proven record. Since 2014, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has launched over 360 foreign satellites for 34 countries—with a whopping 232 from the United States and 83 from the UK, the most competitive and risk-averse space markets.
From Austria to Australia and from Singapore to Spain, dozens of developed countries have chosen Indian space vehicles to launch their satellites. This deep trust comes from doing hard things repeatedly with precision. In 2017, the ISRO set a record by launching 104 satellites at once—the highest ever—showcasing exceptional scale, accuracy, and dependability. The BlueBird fitted into a clear continuum. For commercial launches, Earth observation, and human spaceflight co-operation, global powers are increasingly choosing ISRO, not as a low-cost option, but as a dependable partner at the core of the space ecosystem.
India has always believed in co-operation and collaboration. ISRO collaborates with countries across the globe to enable space technology bring a change into people’s life across the seven seas. For ISRO, only Sky is the limit. From agriculture to disaster management, resource mapping to communications, ISRO works with partner agencies to make space technology accessible and affordable. Earlier this year, during the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered the Open Satellite Data Partnership initiative. This partnership will make satellite data and analysis from G20 space agencies more accessible, interoperable and useful for countries in the Global South.
Imagine the plight of a farmer in a developing country dealing with the vagaries of changing weather patterns. Untimely and heavy rains resulting in floods endanger the crops in South Asia, South East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and even South America. Satellite data could provide early warnings and help farmers make smarter decisions. Unfortunately, the ‘digital divide’ doesn’t allow many developing countries to use such satellite data. Many developed countries possess rich Earth observation capabilities and yet most of the developing countries struggle without them.
Even though global open-data efforts have been in place for many years, such as the European Union’s Copernicus Programme that allows full, free and open data policy and shares Earth observation data, India’s proposal stands apart in scope and intent. The Open Satellite Data Partnership focuses on creating a unified, accessible and interoperable framework across G20 space agencies, designed particularly to empower the Global South with crucial, life-saving geospatial information. Such a joint initiative to capture detailed, large-scale changes offers an essential foundation for international cooperation in the space sector.
India is planning an ambitious roadmap to deploy 119 Earth Observation (EO), Satellite Navigation (SATNAV) and Satellite Communication (SATCOM) satellites by 2040, which would allow access to crucial satellite data in multiple sectors. Interestingly, private enterprises are playing increasingly critical roles, from building and launching satellite constellations to developing analytics platforms that turn raw imagery into actionable insights for agriculture, urban planning, resource management and disaster response.
India has developed a new model where the government provides the vision and framework, while private companies drive the actual innovation and scale. Educational institutions, especially leading universities contribute to the research. Such synergy is at the heart of the global supply chain for EO data and satellite analytics. ISRO- as a leading global agency in the space sector works closely with our international partners in making technology accessible and dependable to bridge the digital divide.
In July 2025, ISRO displayed its capability during the Global Biodiversity Summit in Georgetown, Guyana. At a side event, ISRO interacted with representatives from the CARICOM member states on issues related to the application of space technology in areas of mutual interest. CARICOM and especially Guyana, with its rapidly expanding economy and the President Irfaan Ali-led government’s emphasis on innovation and diversification, provides a unique opportunity for expanding co-operation in the space sector. It fits Prime Minister Modi’s vision of One Earth, One Family, One Future.
The LVM3-M6 launch has shattered another invisible glass ceiling. It has reinforced our shared belief that collaboration and co-operation for Global Good is no longer a dream. It is a reality that we must continue to strive for. As members of the Global South, we must reckon on this untapped potential that can change our world. Our co-operation for Global Good should never face any limit. May such a partnership soar, where no sky is a limit.