Bengaluru Hosts BRICS Space Agencies Meeting

Bengaluru is hosting the BRICS Heads of Space Agencies (HOSA) 2026 meeting on 23 and 24 June 2026. India is chairing BRICS in 2026 and is hosting the meeting with heads and senior representatives from 11 member countries.

BRICS Space Cooperation

BRICS is a grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, and it has expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The space agencies represented at the Bengaluru meeting include the national agencies of these 11 member countries.

Meeting Theme and Agenda

The meeting theme is “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”. The agenda includes space sustainability, sustainable space operations, and governance frameworks for debris-free missions. The discussions also cover amendments to the BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation (RSSC) Agreement and the Terms of Reference for a proposed BRICS Space Council.

Indian Space Ecosystem

The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) is providing a platform for Indian space-tech companies during the meeting. The programme includes presentations by private space enterprises and an industry visit linked to India’s space sector.

Important Facts for Exams

• BRICS originally stood for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
• The BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation is a cooperation framework among member space agencies.
• IN-SPACe is the regulatory and promotion body for private participation in India’s space sector.
• Dr. Jitendra Singh is the Union Minister of State in the Department of Space.

Valedictory Participation

Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State in the Department of Space, is scheduled to participate in the valedictory function. He is also scheduled to interact with the heads of the BRICS space agencies.