India’s space cooperation agreement with Seychelles represents the latest step in a decade-long diplomatic effort to use space technology as a resilient tool of foreign policy, according to a recent report by the Australia-based Lowy Institute.
“Although India’s space cooperation deal with Seychelles in late June 2026 may appear to be a routine technical arrangement on its own, it shows one of the quietest transformations in India’s foreign policy when viewed against a decade of similar moves,” the policy think tank said in its report.
The agreement covers coastal management, marine research and ocean monitoring. According to the report, the deal reflects a broader pattern in which India has provided satellite-based services to partner countries on favourable terms over the past decade.
The Lowy Institute said India’s growing network of space partnerships forms part of a larger diplomatic strategy rather than a collection of unrelated bilateral agreements.
Since 2014, New Delhi has built a soft-power portfolio around small, practical projects that it presents as goodwill initiatives rather than strategic interventions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the South Asia Satellite, a geosynchronous communications satellite, as a “gift” to neighbouring countries when India launched it in May 2017. The satellite supports tele-education, telemedicine, disaster management and broadcasting services.
Since then, India has expanded its space cooperation by establishing earth stations in Bhutan and exploring potential locations in Fiji and Vietnam.
In November 2025, India launched an official Space Dialogue with the European Union and stepped up space cooperation with Australia, Japan and the United States.
By early 2024, New Delhi had signed space cooperation agreements with 61 countries and five multinational organisations, highlighting the growing international reach of India’s space diplomacy.
The Lowy Institute compared India’s approach with China’s Belt and Road infrastructure financing across the Indian Ocean and Pacific regions, which has faced resistance and generated political concerns in some countries.
The think tank noted that India can offer satellite technology and space-based services to partner countries without creating the political baggage often associated with large infrastructure loans. It described satellites as a “portable” form of soft power.
According to the report, India’s approach may deliver less strategic leverage in the short term, but it also faces considerably less local opposition.
However, the think tank cautioned that India takes on a degree of risk by delivering its commitments upfront without having strong mechanisms to guarantee that partner countries will follow through on their commitments.