Abu Dhabi Space Debate To Advance Dialogue On Global Space Economy

Abu Dhabi Space is going to schedule a debate in UAE to advance dialogue on the global space economy. UAE said that India is a key ‘vibrant’ voice.

The Abu Dhabi Space Debate (ASDS), slated for December 5-6 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital, aims to further the conversation on global space economy, and India is one of the important “vibrant” voices in the discussion, according to a top Emirati official.

The UAE government will host the two-day global event, which will provide a forum for world leaders and policymakers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually address the meeting on its first day.

“ADSD aims to advance not only global dialogue and collaboration among nations, but also to forge concrete alliances, multilateral agreements, and provide a platform to advance the sector as a whole,” says the organization. 

The UAE National Space Fund of AED 3 billion (about $820 million) was established in July of this year to foster cooperation between Emirati firms and foreign commercial players, thereby boosting the country’s space sector.

The ADSD is the latest in a series of actions made by the UAE as part of its targeted approach to the space sector. 

According to Emirati officials, the discussion will focus on how to use the space sector to stimulate entrepreneurship, encourage R&D capabilities, balance private sector objectives with a fair and equitable space economy, and increase diversity in high-tech companies.

According to Emirati officials, the UAE’s booming space industry gives opportunities for innovators and companies from all over the world, including India.

“Traditionally, the Emirati and Indian business sectors have been not only linked but interconnected, and there is no reason to imagine space being any different,” said Ibrahim Al-Qasim, Deputy Director General, UAE Space Agency, in answer to media inquiries.

The UAE Space Agency and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have a friendly relationship, and there is still room for more agency-to-agency discussion, according to Al-Qasim, who also stated that the UAE wishes to share a “broader message” with the Indian commercial actors.

According to the UAE, the globe is entering a “new space age.” According to Al-Qasim, the word refers to the growing number of countries throughout the world that not only “saw an economic opportunity in space, but also the creation of a global commercial space sector.”

In the 1950s, the global space sector was dominated by only two main players: the United States and the former Soviet Union. Today, nearly 70 countries are exploring space.

With the global space industry expected to generate $1 trillion in sales by 2040, there is rising hope that the space economy will drive industrial growth and innovation across a variety of industries, as well as provide economic possibilities for an ever-increasing number of people.