Space has been a key element of foreign policy outreach ever since the launch of Sputnik in 1957. During the cold war, space technology was used by the space giants, the USA, and the USSR, to gain an advantage over the adversary alliance bloc.
Following the footsteps of these space powers, the UK and France also started utilizing their space in their respective foreign policies. Hence the use of space technology for diplomacy is not a new concept.
However, security concern has always remained an important element of western space powers which reflect in their space diplomacy. These countries have been using space technology with a viewpoint of national & space security, space resource utilization and space warfare. But the emerging non-western space powers of India and China have brought their innovative approach to using space technology in international relations which is beyond security concerns.
The space program of India and China has been developed over the period and has now reached an advanced level. With the successful space expeditions on Moon and Mars, they have proved their technological superiority.
Like western developed countries, both India and China are also using their space technology in their foreign policy but with a different approach. This approach is nothing but a non-coercive way of using space technology to influence other countries for gaining economic, social, and political benefits.
This new approach by India and China, of using space technology as a soft power has not yet received much deserving attention from IR scholars, policymakers and executives working in the space industry. Hence, it’s high time for us to study this innovative approach that goes beyond space security and space weaponization.
Both Asian giants are using their space technology as an influential tool. However, the way, approach, and purpose of using space technology of both countries are different to one another. In this article, space diplomacy of India and China in Brazil is considered as Brazil is one of the main developing states in Latin America with whom both New Delhi and Beijing have established space relations to achieve their foreign policy goals in their non-coercive style.
So how are India and China instrumentalizing their space technology to strengthen their relationship with Brazil?
The Indian way
The Indian Space program has always been part of India’s international cooperation strategy. There are several components of international cooperation in various Indian space missions such as INSAT satellites series, IRS-IA &IB, Arrine Passenger, APPLE, STEP and many more. The launch of the Aryabhata satellite & India’s Moon mission is also classic examples of Indian initiative in space cooperation and collaboration.
Since the beginning, New Delhi involved Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in building new ties and strengthening bilateral & multilateral relations with other countries. India via ISRO has been using the finest strategy of space diplomacy by way of space collaboration and cooperation with other space agencies as an equal partner.
India-Brazil space relations were initiated in the year 2000 when they entered a commercial agreement to provide data captured by Indian satellites. This initiative further leads to the formation of a formal space cooperation framework between these two countries.
Since then, India used multiple strategic ways to nourish this bilateral relationship such as;
Identification of mutual interests and collaboration of space resources
India initiated its space diplomacy with Brazil in early 2000 by signing MOU specifically to identify & agree upon mutual space interests by conducting discussion rounds for 2 years. Only after these discussions, New Delhi and Brasilia entered into the formal space cooperation framework agreement.
The presence of the premier leader of both countries at the time of signing this agreement indicated the strong intentions of India-Brazil relations via space cooperation.
Moreover, India agreed to provide remote sensing data captured by Indian satellites and send space scientists to assist Brazilian space scientists in setting up ground stations in Brazil.
Assistance in building ground station
ISRO assisted the Brazilian space agency INPE in building ground stations in the strategically located Brazilian cities of Alcantara and Cuiaba. Along with that India also agreed upon setting up several more ground stations in Brazil and supplying geodata captured by the Indian satellites.
This soft diplomatic way of mutual space cooperation proved successful for India as it received crucial ground station support for important Indian space missions such as ISROs Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC).
Furthermore, this cooperation further leads to another important space agreement between India and Brazil for launching the first indigenous Brazilian satellite Amazonia-1 from India by an Indian rocket.
Launch of satellite, data sharing & designing space program
India took several important data-sharing initiatives for sharing geodata captured by Indian satellites. For instance, India agreed to share data of its satellites HamSAt-India, and Megha-tropique’ with Brazil advocating mutual benefit. Here, India took the extra effort of convincing its co-developer country France to provide access.
Indian efforts in space diplomacy reached new heights in the year 2021 when India launched its maiden indigenous Brazilian satellite called Amazonia-1.
It was a significant event due to two main reasons. First, It was a Maiden Brazilian satellite launch hence it possessed a lot of emotions among Brazilians. Second, an Indian rocket and launch pad was used for the launch, proving the efficiency of Indian space infrastructure in an international market.
Training and sharing of space experience
India provided training facilities for remote sensing satellites to Brazilian Space scientists. India also offered valuable space experience in developing satellite communication. Moreover, Indian scientists also offered scientific knowledge about the tropical systems for interpreting the tropical weather changes provided by ‘Megha-Tropique’.
It is interesting to observe here that, India invited Brazilian space scientists for its conference conducted to provide training about the tropical satellite. This invitation can be seen as an effort of India in nourishing the bilateral relationship via space training.
India highlights similarities
Apart from space science and technology, training and geo-data sharing, Indian space diplomacy also focused on the similarities between India and Brazil. These similarities are rich biodiversity, tropical climate, ample natural resources, large coastline, developing counties and similar cultures.
India tactfully linked its space science and technology to strengthen economic and bilateral trade relations. From signing the first MOU to gaining Brazilian trust for launching its maiden satellite, Indian space diplomacy became saucerful in strengthening its relationship with Brazil.
Future space engagements
India and Brazil have agreed to take space cooperation to a new level after the successful launch of Amazonia-1. Brazil has requested India’s support in the procurement of materials and systems for its launch vehicle program whereas India gained the access to use Brazilian ground stations in its future missions such as Chandrayaan 3, Gaganyan.
The Chinese way
China identified its space science and technology as an important instrument in its foreign affairs since the beginning of the Chinese space program. Initially, its space program was more focused on building nationalism and security, yet the Chinese started looking for the opportunity to use its space technology beyond its own technological, socio-economical, and military benefits.
China started investing heavily in their space diplomacy post-2000. It focused on the need for space cooperation and collaboration for mutual benefit as well as peaceful growth for everyone via space technology.
China-Brazil space cooperation has been one of the most successful space diplomacy efforts of China. It started in the year 1988 with an agreement for joint research and development of remote sensing satellites called CBERS. However, the CBERS satellite was launched several years later in the late 1990s.
Chinese space diplomacy with Brazil has been primarily focused on joint satellite development for mutual benefit. It started with CBERS and in recent times China issued statements mentioning a strong desire of building bigger satellites jointly with Brazil for the benefit of China, Brazil, and other Latin American countries.
Similar to India, the Chinese also used bilateral discussion meetings to strengthen the collaboration with Brazil. However, it was mainly related to a joint satellite development program. Additionally, China strategizes to position itself at the center of the news by giving separate Mandarin names for the CBERS program and each of the satellites.
China has a unique way of using its space technology which is heavily influenced by the Confucius Chinese world order. Influencing by offering economic assistance is a classic Chinese way. In the case of Chinese space diplomacy with Brazil, China offered heavy financial assistance to Brazil in its joint development space program.
On similar grounds, China has also invested a lot in the space domain to get economic and trade benefits from Brazil together with getting access to the rich Brazilian natural resources. China also used space technology and economic assistance jointly to build and improve relations with Brazil.
Conclusion
India and China both started using their space technology in a non-coercive way which is beyond security concerns. However, the way, approach, and purpose of using space technology by both Asian giants in Brazil are very different. Based on the Indian way and Chinese way as mentioned above, we can draw the following conclusions.
Indian focus has been mainly on strengthening bilateral relationships with Brazil whereas the Chinese focus is on building influential relations in the entire Latin America by using China-Brazil space collaboration as a gateway.
India has mainly used its space technology by way of sharing data, allowing access to space data from Indian satellites via Brazilian ground stations, assisting Brazil in building ground stations, providing cost-effective satellite launching facilities, arranging training sessions, and seminars for Brazilian scientists along with experience sharing sessions.
Whereas China has used their space technology by way of a joint research and development satellite program initiative and offering financial assistance.
India focuses more on the similarities that both the countries have such as democracy, coastal area, and tropical weather to use Indian satellites for strengthening its ties with Brazil whereas, China’s focus has been on the South-South Cooperation between the two developing countries.
Both India and China want to have more space cooperation and collaboration projects with Brazil but different with different objectives. India wants to increase its space trade, and buildup strong bilateral relations for ISRO’s future missions of Gaganyan, and Chandrayaan 3.
Whereas China wants joint development of bigger satellites with Brazil for benefit of China, Brazil and other South American countries. China wants to use those large satellites as a tool for influencing other developing countries in South America without having any plans to include Brazil in its space expeditions.
India is more lenient in knowledge sharing, assisting, helping, and becoming more inclusive for potential future space missions whereas, Chinese cooperation, knowledge sharing, and assistance are restricted to joint efforts.
In short, India desires to become an open and easy-going friend whereas, China wants a controlled & restricted partnership. Hence, it’s safe to conclude that even though both of these Asian giants have chosen a path of using their space diplomacy for influencing Brazil yet their roads, objectives and approaches are dissimilar to each other.
