Asian Space Governance: Why Institutional Strength Matters for Sustainability

Asia has emerged as a powerhouse of space innovation and ambition. From China’s expansive space programme to Japan’s technological prowess and India’s cost-effective missions, Asian space governance has become central to global discussions on the future of space activities, including space sustainability. This article asserts that while harmonised regulatory frameworks and innovation-friendly environments are key to advancing space sustainability in Asia, institutional strength forms the essential foundation for these elements across all political systems.

Asia’s Expanding Space Landscape: Opportunities and Challenges

Asia’s space activities are rapidly expanding, driven by the growing integration of satellite technology into socio-economic development strategies. Satellites are pivotal in bridging the digital divide, particularly in remote and underserved regions, where terrestrial infrastructure is limited. Notable examples include:

• Indonesia’s SATRIA-1 satellite provides internet access to over 50,000 public sites, including schools and clinics, enhancing digital inclusion.

• Earth observation satellites supporting climate adaptation and disaster resilience through partnerships, such as Sentinel Asia and India’s NASA-ISRO NISAR mission.

• Even advanced economies such as South Korea are embracing satellite broadband to complement terrestrial networks, extending connectivity to remote islands and critical sectors.

Such growth, however, brings significant risks. Rapid satellite deployments contribute to orbital congestion, debris proliferation and spectrum interference – particularly acute in Asia due to high Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite density.

• Spectrum congestion threatens vital services such as navigation and disaster response, crucial for maritime and hazard-prone areas.

• The region’s space sustainability efforts remain uneven and fragmented, with many countries still developing legal frameworks, space situational awareness (SSA), and space traffic management (STM) capabilities.

• Geopolitical tensions further complicate cooperation, increasing vulnerability to orbital incidents with cross-border impacts.

Recognising these challenges, strong institutions matter decisively as they facilitate seamless governance processes, preserve stakeholders trust when balancing national interests with collective goals, and allow for adaptive regulation amid accelerating technological advancements. As demonstrated by ongoing space activities in Asia, countries that have invested in creating robust institutions consistently demonstrate greater capacity to address orbital sustainability challenges.

Institutional Coherence for Seamless Governance Processes

Institutional strength is more than having formal rules or agencies in place; it is the capacity to translate policy into practice seamlessly. Such capabilities – including the ability to integrate diverse functions, coordinate stakeholders, and enforce policies effectively – are vital for managing predictable licensing and spectrum pathways, defined mandates across ministries/agencies, and published decision steps and timelines.

In Asia, the variation in governance maturity – from Japan’s legislatively coherent framework to China’s centralised but evolving regulatory system – illustrates how institutional robustness shapes the ability to manage complex space activities.

• Japan’s multi-ministerial system exemplifies institutional coherence by aligning accountability with clear legal mandates, which reduces friction in decision making and ensures policy continuity.

• China’s administrative regulations enable operational delivery; continued legal codification would further clarify roles and responsibilities.

• South Korea’s transition toward centralised governance signals an institutional strengthening process that enhances agility and responsiveness.

• At a regional level, the National Space Legislation Initiative (NSLI) is an effort to build institutional coherence by harmonising national space laws across Asia.

• By aligning domestic legislation with international treaties such as the Outer Space Treaty and the UN COPUOS (United National Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space) guidelines, NSLI serves to strengthen the legal infrastructure necessary for responsible satellite operations and sustainable development.

• Its collaborative structure, co-chaired by JAXA and the Philippine Space Agency, and its annual reporting to COPUOS, illustrate how institutional coordination at the regional level can reinforce national governance and contribute to global norm building.

• NSLI’s work highlights that organisational robustness is enhanced not only by domestic legal maturity, but also regional cooperation mechanisms that promote policy convergence and transparency.

Trust Factor: Balancing National Interests with Collective Goals

Structural integrity plays a critical role in preserving stakeholder trust while balancing national interests with collective regional goals. Effective governance frameworks must not only reconcile competing sovereignty concerns but also maintain transparency, accountability and credibility to build and sustain trust among national and global stakeholders. Public guidance documents, inclusive consultative procedures, and standardised reporting mechanisms provide practical tools that build operational confidence and predictability across jurisdictions. The challenge lies in overcoming the competitive dynamics that often characterise geopolitics; strong institutions create mechanisms for reciprocity and trust building that transform competition into collaboration through consistent engagement, open information exchange, and collaborative problem-solving forums.

In Asia, this dual function of institutions is evident in how countries navigate the tension in protective their strategic priorities and engaging in regional cooperation in space.

• Northeast Asia: China’s leadership in the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO) and Japan’s involvement in the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) illustrate institutional mechanisms that mediate national ambitions with collaborative sustainability objectives. These institutions foster inclusivity and cooperation by creating platforms for dialogue, information sharing, and joint initiatives, which help transform competitive dynamics into cooperative ones. Trust is reinforced when institutions demonstrate consistent enforcement of policies, transparent decision-making, and reliable commitments to sustainability goals

• Southeast Asia: Countries adopt adaptive governance models that reflect their unique political and technical contexts. Singapore’s guidelines-based system and Malaysia’s formalised space board, for instance, showcase how institutional flexibility can accommodate diverse national priorities while aligning with regional and global norms. Additionally, the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Space Technology and Applications (ASEAN SCOSA)’s role as a coordination platform further exemplifies how institutionalised transparency and multilateral engagement build confidence among stakeholders.

• South Asia: India’s structured governance ecosystem balances private sector enablement with binding debris mitigation targets, signalling accountability and fostering trust both domestically and internationally. Pakistan’s growing engagement with international partners similarly reflects an institutional commitment to credible governance despite its emerging status.

Adaptive Capacity: Regulatory Evolution Amid Technological Revolution

The rapid pace of technological innovation in space demands institutions that are not only robust but also adaptive. In other words, the ability to proactively shape regulations and policies to accommodate emerging technologies and risks. Such capability is particularly crucial given that Northeast, Southeast, and South Asia are contributing to a rapid densification of orbital activity, with over 31,000 satellites planned over the next decade. Several efforts have been made to enable greater institutional adaptability.

• Northeast Asia: China’s integration of state-led research with private sector innovation, Japan’s public-private partnerships like J-SPARC, and South Korea’s startup-driven advancements illustrate institutional agility in fostering sustainable innovation ecosystems.

• Southeast Asia: The region’s emerging research and development initiatives, coupled with regional coordination, indicate early institutional learning and adaptation.

• South Asia: India’s substantial budget allocation for SSA and de-orbiting protocols reflects forward-looking governance, while Pakistan’s focus on operational growth signals institutional efforts to keep pace with technological demands.

The Path Forward: Strengthening Institutions for Sustainable Asian Space Activities

To ensure long-erm space sustainability in Asia, strengthening institutional capacity across the region is imperative. Addressing governance asymmetries requires targeted capacity building knowledge transfer, and inclusive governance design. Regional initiatives such as ASEAN SCOSA workshops and bilateral MoUs exemplify efforts to elevate institutional maturity and foster shared norms.

Effective institutional design should embed transparency, accountability , adaptability and inclusivity as core principles. Public-private partnerships and multilateral cooperation must be institutionalised to align innovation incentives with sustainability goals. Further details on these recommendations can be found in our white paper on Advancing Space Sustainability in Asia.

Institutional strength is the bedrock of space sustainability in Asia. It undergirds seamless governance processes, enables the balancing of national interests with regional cooperation, preserves stakeholder trust, and facilitates adaptive regulation amid rapid technological change. The varied institutional landscapes across Asia reveal that robustness is not solely about formal structures but about the capacity to integrate, coordinate, and evolve governance in complex, contested environments.

As Asia’s space activities expand, the durability and adaptability of its institutions will determine whether the region can achieve sustainable space stewardship or face escalating orbital challenges. The future of Asian space governance hinges on building institutions that are not only strong but conceptually resilient – capable of sustaining cooperation, innovation, and trust in an uncertain and rapidly changing domain.