New Delhi : Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT-Delhi), partnered with the Manekshaw Centre of Excellence in National Security Studies and Research, to host Space Dialogue 2026 on April 13 on its campus. The event brought together leading voices from academia and national defence.
The event became a strategic platform to explore the potential of emerging technologies at the intersection of space and defence. Space Defence & AI, Quantum Sensors, Next-Generation Position, Navigation & Timing, and Space Domain Awareness were some of the major focus areas discussed at the event.
A key highlight of this occasion was the announcement of the IIIT-Delhi Space Technology Centre to be led by Dr. Sanat K Biswas (Associate Professor, Dept. of Electronics and Communications Engineering, IIIT-Delhi). The main purpose of this dedicated hub is to advance research in Space Situational Awareness, satellite navigation, GNSS, RF subsystems, embedded systems, and cybersecurity in space.
Prestigious academic institutions, including IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, IISc Bangalore, IIST Trivandrum, and several other IITs as well as NITs, participated in it. Many national institutions and major government bodies, such as CDAC and SAMEER, were also part of the event.
The event also witnessed the association of defence representatives from the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, the Defence Space Agency, national security organisations, and Industry leaders, including Qosmic, Dhruva Space, VyomIC, and others.
Distinguished delegates included Air Vice Marshal Manu Midha (Director General, Defence Space Agency), Lt. Gen. Subrata Saha (Executive Chairman Manekshaw Centre (former Deputy Chief of Army Staff)), senior officials from the Defence Space Agency, and directors and vice-chancellors from leading institutions.
Dr. Sanat K. Biswas, head of this newly launched space centre, said, “Space Dialogue 2026 reflects our commitment to establishing interdisciplinary collaboration at the frontier of space and defence technologies. With the launch of ISTC, we aim to build an ecosystem that is future-ready and brings innovation. We expect our collective efforts will strengthen national capabilities in this critical domain.”
The Space Dialogue 2026 accentuates IIIT-Delhi’s role in bringing innovation and strategic collaboration, relating to emerging technologies of national focus.