SUMMARY
Russia is pushing for deeper cooperation among BRICS countries in space, including the possible creation of a BRICS Space Council. The proposed body would give member countries a more structured way to coordinate space programmes, satellite projects and other areas of cooperation. The initiative builds on existing BRICS space-agency cooperation, including work on a joint remote-sensing satellite constellation and space sustainability. Support for the idea has already been expressed by some BRICS members, although a formal council has not yet been established.
Russia is seeking to take BRICS cooperation beyond trade, finance and diplomacy by pushing for a stronger partnership in one of the world's most strategically important technologies: space.
The proposal centres on the possible creation of a BRICS Space Council, which would provide a framework for member countries to coordinate their space activities and develop joint projects.
The idea comes as BRICS expands its role in technology and infrastructure cooperation and as its members look for areas where they can combine their scientific and industrial capabilities.
Russia wants a more organised BRICS space partnership
Russia has been advocating for a dedicated mechanism that could coordinate space cooperation among BRICS countries.
The proposed council would not necessarily replace the national space agencies of member countries. Instead, it could provide a platform for coordinating projects, identifying areas of common interest and monitoring developments in the space sector.
According to information linked to Russia's Roscosmos, the proposed council could eventually take responsibility for coordinating existing BRICS space initiatives and helping member countries work more closely on future projects.
However, the proposal remains a work in progress. Not all BRICS countries have necessarily taken the same position on creating such a body.
BRICS is already cooperating in space
The proposed council would build on cooperation that already exists between BRICS space agencies.
BRICS countries have been working on a remote-sensing satellite constellation designed to improve access to satellite data from the territories of participating countries.
The initiative could have practical applications in agriculture, environmental monitoring, disaster management, climate research and infrastructure planning.
In June 2026, representatives of BRICS space agencies met in Bengaluru, India, to discuss areas including the remote-sensing satellite constellation and space sustainability. The meeting included representatives from Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
This shows that BRICS space cooperation is already moving beyond political statements and into technical discussions between national space agencies.
South Africa has supported Russia's proposal
Russia's proposal for a BRICS Space Council is not entirely new.
During earlier BRICS space-agency discussions, South Africa publicly expressed support for the Russian initiative.
The South African National Space Agency said it supported the creation of a BRICS space council and indicated that cooperation could be developed in that direction.
That support is significant because South Africa has its own satellite and space-monitoring capabilities and has participated in several international space-cooperation programmes.
The existence of support from individual members, however, does not mean the council has already been formally established.
China could be central to the initiative
China is likely to be one of the most important countries in any major BRICS space programme.
Russia has described China as its main partner in long-term space exploration projects, including cooperation connected to lunar exploration.
Russia has also suggested that its expertise in nuclear space energy could potentially become useful in future joint projects.
For BRICS, cooperation between Russia and China could provide a technological foundation for projects that would be difficult for smaller members to develop independently.
At the same time, other members could contribute satellite technology, launch capabilities, remote-sensing data, research facilities and applications for space-based information.
India brings another major space power into BRICS
India is also crucial to the future of BRICS space cooperation.
India has developed significant independent capabilities through the Indian Space Research Organisation, including launch vehicles, satellites, lunar missions and Earth-observation systems.
India's space programme has also become increasingly ambitious, with plans for human spaceflight and a future space station.
That gives BRICS the potential to combine three major space powers — Russia, China and India — with the capabilities and geographic reach of other member states.
For countries with smaller space programmes, participation in a broader BRICS framework could also provide access to satellite data, technical expertise and research cooperation.
Why satellite cooperation matters
Space cooperation is not only about sending astronauts into orbit.
Satellites have become essential infrastructure for modern economies.
They support telecommunications, navigation, weather forecasting, agriculture, mapping, disaster response, environmental monitoring and national security.
A stronger BRICS satellite network could therefore provide benefits far beyond the space industry itself.
For developing economies, access to high-quality Earth-observation data could be particularly valuable. Governments could use satellite information to monitor crops, track floods, assess environmental changes and plan infrastructure.
BRICS is expanding its technology agenda
The space proposal comes at a time when BRICS is attempting to develop more practical cooperation in technology and infrastructure.
At the 2026 BRICS summit in New Delhi, member states are discussing initiatives involving technology, investment, supply chains, startups and digital systems.
Russia has argued that BRICS should become more focused on practical economic cooperation rather than remaining primarily a political grouping. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the bloc should develop a platform for global growth based on cooperation in areas including technology, infrastructure, payments and investment.
A coordinated space programme would fit into that broader strategy.
It could also reduce dependence on Western systems
There is also a geopolitical dimension to the proposal.
Russia has faced extensive restrictions on its access to Western technology and international cooperation since the invasion of Ukraine. China has also been engaged in an increasingly competitive technological relationship with the United States.
That makes cooperation among non-Western space powers strategically important.
A BRICS space framework could help participating countries develop alternative partnerships for satellite technology, scientific research, data sharing and space infrastructure.
However, it would be misleading to describe the initiative simply as a plan to create a rival to Western space organisations.
BRICS countries have different interests, different space capabilities and different relationships with the United States and Europe. India, for example, maintains extensive space cooperation with Western countries despite its close relationship with Russia.
The biggest challenge will be coordination
Creating a space council would not automatically produce a unified BRICS space programme.
The group now includes countries with very different economic sizes, technological capabilities and strategic priorities.
Some members have advanced launch and satellite programmes, while others are still developing their basic space capabilities.
There are also political differences within BRICS. India and China, for example, are strategic competitors in Asia despite cooperating through the BRICS framework.
That means the proposed council would need to focus on practical projects where members can find common ground.
A possible new phase for BRICS space cooperation
If the proposal gains broader support, the BRICS Space Council could eventually become a central coordinating mechanism for the group's space activities.
Its potential responsibilities could include coordinating satellite programmes, facilitating data sharing, encouraging scientific research, supporting space sustainability and identifying new joint projects.
It could also give smaller BRICS members a more direct role in the group's space activities instead of leaving major projects primarily to Russia, China and India.
But much will depend on whether the members can agree on the council's structure, funding, responsibilities and decision-making process.
What happens next
For now, the BRICS Space Council remains a proposal rather than an established institution.
Nevertheless, the continued meetings of BRICS space-agency officials and progress on satellite cooperation indicate that space is becoming a more important part of the group's wider agenda.
As BRICS attempts to turn itself into a more practical platform for cooperation in technology and infrastructure, space could become one of its most ambitious areas of collaboration.
Conclusion
Russia's push for a BRICS Space Council signals an attempt to give the group's space cooperation a more permanent and organised structure.
The foundations are already emerging through satellite projects, meetings between national space agencies and cooperation involving Russia, China, India, South Africa and other members.
The real test will be whether BRICS can turn those individual projects into a functioning long-term partnership.
If it succeeds, the result could give the expanded bloc a much larger role in satellite technology, Earth observation and future space exploration.
For now, however, the proposed council is still being developed — and its eventual shape will depend on how far BRICS members are willing to move from cooperation in principle to cooperation on the ground.
