• Geopolitical Competition: With the United States and China as major leaders in this field, Indo-Pacific nations must explore how commercial remote sensing technologies can bolster security while maintaining economic ties with these powers. The role of remote sensing in national sovereignty and defense will be examined.
• Security Risks: Given the dual-use nature of commercial satellite imagery, concerns arise regarding foreign control over critical satellite data and its implications for national security.
• Military and Humanitarian Applications: The role of remote sensing in disaster management, surveillance, and conflict monitoring could be explored, especially as commercial satellite imagery can provide real-time insights into natural disasters, conflicts, or humanitarian crises.

• Technological Convergence: The fusion of AI, machine learning, and advanced data analytics with remote sensing satellites enables allowing for the processing of huge datasets to extract actionable insights. The discussion will explore governments and private industry leaders’ partner to use these advancements for public safety, environmental monitoring, and urban planning.
• Cost and Accessibility: As satellite imagery becomes more commercialized, costs may decline, improving access to data. Strategies for nations with limited financial resources to benefit from these developments will be discussed as well as the models that can be used to ensure equitable access to space-based data.
• Data Privacy and Integrity: With the increasing availability of commercial data, nations must implement measures to protect sensitive information. The establishment of national and international standards for data protection and integrity will be addressed.

• Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): The session will explore if Governments can collaborate with private companies such as SpaceX, Planet Labs, or GeoIQ to enhance access to commercial remote sensing technologies and also explore potential frameworks for these partnerships and the regulatory measures needed to support them.
• Regional Collaboration: The session will explore how Indo-Pacific nations can benefit from shared data and resources to enhance collective security, environmental monitoring, and disaster response efforts.
• Standardization and Interoperability: The development of global standards for satellite data interoperability is crucial for effective cross-border collaboration. The role of governments and industries in driving these standards, along with leveraging international organizations such as the United Nations, will be explored.

Government leaders and legal experts will discuss the regulatory frameworks required to address the rise of commercial remote sensing:

• Data Sharing and Governance: The session will examine the policies needed to regulate data sharing, particularly for sensitive or strategic information, while balancing national interests with the benefits of data accessibility.
• Space Policy and Regulation: Key policy considerations, including satellite licensing, export controls, and data rights, will be analyzed. India, with its expanding space capabilities, may need to update its regulations to foster innovation while ensuring security.
• International Cooperation on Space Law: As private entities play a growing role in satellite operations; international cooperation is essential for managing potential conflicts in space. The discussion will highlight the roles of the United States and India in shaping global space law to ensure the safe and peaceful use of space.