Crossing Borders in Space: French Space Days India 2023 Celebrates Indo-French Collaboration

Key figures highlight strong bilateral space cooperation in a three-day event across India.

NEW DELHI, Oct. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- French Space Days India 2023, organized by Business France in partnership with CNES, GIFAS, ISpA, IFCCI and supported by IN-Space and ISRO, concluded with remarkable achievements and key figures that underscored the strength of bilateral space cooperation. This four-day immersive event, spread across Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, brought together visionaries and experts from France and India to celebrate space innovation and collaboration.

Highlights of the Event:

A Delegation of 28 French Companies: A prominent delegation representing 28 leading French companies, displaying innovative space technologies, products, and services.

ADR | Airbus Defence and Space | Axon Cables | COMAT | ConnectSAT Aerospace | CORIOLIS COMPOSITES | CROUZET | CT Ingénierie | CYBERMECA | DASSAULT AVIATION | EXAIL | EXOTRAIL | EXPLEO France | HEXCEL Composites India LLP | KINEIS | LEANSPACE | LOOK UP SPACE | NICOMATIC INDIA | PROMETHEE | SAFRAN DATA SYSTEMS | SATINOX | SEREME | SODERN | SOPRA Steria Group | Space Avocat | Space Flight Institute | Thales Alenia Space

55+ Delegates from France: More than 55 esteemed delegates from France, comprising industry leaders, scientists, and innovators, highlighting the strong interest in cross-border collaboration, attended the event.

Thomas Pesquet: the event hosted the esteemed presence of French astronaut of European Space Agency, Thomas Pesquet, who graced the occasion in Delhi and Bengaluru with his remarkable experiences in space, offering insights into the future of space exploration. His visit left a profound impact on attendees, inspiring them to reach for the stars and explore new horizons.

Participation of 450+ Indian Delegates: An impressive participation of Indian companies, contributing to the event's dynamic environment was witness during the ISpA Conclave.

Two Panel discussion and immersive discussion: Two Insightful Panel Discussions and Interactive Dialogues: The ISpA event included two compelling panel discussions, one focused on forging space industry partnerships for mutual growth and technology advancement, and the other dedicated to catalysing innovation in the New Space sector. In addition, experts engaged in interactive sessions, sharing their insights and visionary perspectives on the future of space exploration.

Seven Industrial plant Visits: Participants had the opportunity to embark on exclusive tours of advanced space industrial facilities like Skyroot, Dhruva, Ananth, ISRO Hyderabad, Axon, Centum. These visits offered a firsthand experience of groundbreaking projects in India and provided the French delegation with valuable insights into the specificities of the Indian space industry. The visited companies engaged in critical aspects such as launcher development, satellite constellations, satellite electronics components, ADCS (Attitude Determination and Control Systems), and solar panels.

70+ B2B Meetings: The event facilitated valuable Business-to-Business meetings, fostering connections, and encouraging collaboration between French companies and Indian counterparts.

The event was generously supported by sponsors: Airbus, Axon Cables, HSBC, Air France, Knowledge Partners: UJA and Space Avocat. Business France extends heartfelt gratitude to these sponsors for their unwavering support in making French Space Days India 2023 a grand success.

Commenting on the event's success, Mr Eric Fajole, Director of Business France India, stated, "These key figures and achievements exemplify the commitment of both nations to collaborate and innovate in the realm of space technology. French Space Days India 2023 has not only celebrated the past and present but has also set a solid foundation for the future of space cooperation between both countries."

Outcome of the French space days India 2023

The event concluded with a renewed sense of enthusiasm, paving the way for a bright and collaborative future of the space industry in India and France. The event marked the signing of significant Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) between 5 French companies and Indian counterparts, setting the stage for a promising roadmap of bilateral space cooperation.

1) MoU between Skyroot Aerospace and Prométhée Earth Intelligence, a leading French earth observation constellation operator, to provide launch services aboard Vikram launch vehicles for their earth observation satellite constellation.

2)The second MoU signed with Skyroot signifies, a three-party agreement with Expleo and ConnectSAT, focused on the establishment of the OSIRIS satellite constellation. Expleo is prepared to provide reconfigurable software for Connect Sat's IoT Satellite, which is scheduled for launch on the Vikram-I rocket.

3)An MoU was signed by Kinéis to leverage the Satellite ground station infrastructure at Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services for real-time reception and processing of data from ocean observing platforms in the Indian Ocean regions that use ARGOS communication.

4)MoU between ISpA- Indian Space Association and GIFAS: In a significant event, attended by the French Ambassador-designate to India and Astronaut Thomas Pesquet, ISpA and GIFAS officially announced the signing of their MoU, fortifying a six-decade-long collaboration in the space sector. ISpA and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers are pivotal partners for GIFAS in India, signifying a heightened level of cooperation between the two ecosystems.

India and France have a rich history of collaboration in the space sector. This partnership has resulted in joint projects, knowledge sharing, and a shared commitment to advancing space technology. It is a bond that fosters innovation and strengthens both nations' positions in the global space community. French Space Days India 2023 is a prime example of this enduring cooperation, highlighting the achievements made possible through their collective efforts.

About Business France

Business France is the national agency supporting the international development of the French economy. Responsible for fostering export growth by French businesses, as well as promoting and facilitating international investment in France. It promotes France's companies, business image and nationwide attractiveness as an investment location, and runs the VIE international internship program. Business France has 1,500 personnel, both in France and in 55 countries throughout the world, who work with a network of partners.

For further information, please visit: www.businessfrance.fr.