Why space diplomacy is a critical component of India-Brunei relations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Brunei on September 3-4, 2024. It was an important outreach on the part of India to this tiny Southeast Asian nation. This has been the first ever bilateral visit by an Indian head of government to this state with a population of around five lakhs, officially known as Brunei Darussalam. This visit needs to be viewed in the backdrop of India’s Act East policy posture.

The bilateral ties amongst India and Brunei are now elevated to the Enhanced Partnership level. During this visit, the discussions revolved around a range of issues, from defence to trade to education to terrorism to health to culture. Also, there was a major focus on furthering this relationship with collaboration in the areas of energy and technology.

Both the states are keen to work together in areas ranging from hydrocarbons to semiconductors. As per the joint statement, both the states are keen to explore and push association in expanses on Information Communication Technology, fintech, cyber security, new and emerging technologies, and renewable energy. India is also helping Brunei in hosting the ASEAN Centre for Climate Change.

One important agreement signed during this meeting is about collaboration in the space domain. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the operation of Telemetry, Tracking and Telecommand Station for Satellite and Launch Vehicles was signed during the recent visit of the Indian PM. Currently, Brunei does not have any active space program. But it appears to have some interest in space-related activities and is using the route of international collaborations to satisfy their need for support from space systems. It would be of interest to know why India is keen on collaborating with Brunei, which has relatively very little ‘bandwidth’ in the space domain.

The location of Brunei is 4.5° N latitude and 114.7° E longitude. This country is located on the island of Borneo and is bordered by the South China Sea to the north and Malaysia to the south, east, and west. Obviously, for India, a state like Brunei, which is located in the centre of the Indo-Pacific circle, has very important geopolitical and geostrategic significance. Brunei understands that its geography has put itself in a muddled region. Two major powers, namely the US and China, have major interests in the region.

Brunei is having good relations with both of these states. With the US, it has an established relationship that goes back to the Cold War period. China also understands the necessity to keep Brunei in good humour. The process of high-level political engagement by China started during 2000, when Jiang Zemin became the first Chinese head of state to visit Brunei.

For both the US and China, the strategic location of Brunei is very important. It could be a matter of larger debate about, ‘Is Brunei hedging between the US and China?’ However, from India’s perspective, it is an important state to engage in the area of its interest. Space collaboration should be seen as one of the instruments towards such engagement.

For India, increasing focus on cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries is important, and India understands the strategic significance of its Brunei engagement. India recognises that space technologies could play an important role in its outreach to maritime neighbours in the region. As such, India is connecting with various states in the region, including Brunei, under a multilateral forum called the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF). This forum was established in 1993 to boost space pursuits in the Asia-Pacific region.

It is also important to note that not only India, but some other states in the region, like Japan, are also engaged in ASEAN Space Diplomacy. An important component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is China’s Space Silk Road. Obviously, to checkmate China’s Space Silk Road initiative, there is a need for larger engagement with smaller states in the region into the domain of space. Japan is known to be silently exercising its space influence in recent years on ASEAN states. Today, along with bilateral arrangements with states like Brunei, India needs to boost its involvement in forums like APRSAF and also engage various ASEAN states more proactively.

India’s space agency ISRO is pursuing international cooperation with many space agencies globally. This helps in enhancing the competency of the Indian space program and also helps in strengthening the country’s diplomatic relations. Also, such collaborations may help towards forming consensus in addressing issues associated with global space governance and issues related to space security.

Simultaneously, it is also important to realise that engagement with Brunei is not only restricted to space diplomacy, and there is something more to it.

During 2018, a MoU was signed between Brunei Darussalam and India. This was about the cooperation in the operation of telemetry, tracking, and telecommand stations for satellite and launch vehicles. It also included collaboration in the field of space science research and applications. ISRO has set up in Brunei a Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Station in Brunei Darussalam, known as the ISRO TTC Station. Actually, this arrangement has been in place since 1997. During 2000, ISRO established a full-fledged telemetry tracking and command station in Brunei. This allows them to track and monitor all eastward launches of satellites and rockets. This arrangement is getting routine extensions. The signing of the MoU during 2018 was about extending this arrangement for another five years. The agreement has extended this arrangement further.

For some time now, ISRO has been involved in short-term and long-term training activities with Brunei. ISRO is upgrading their facilities at Brunei routinely since, over a passage of time, new and more efficient technology develops and also ISRO’s needs could increase and/or change. Apart from Brunei, ISRO also has tracking stations at Port Louis (Mauritius), Bearslake (Russia), Biak (Indonesia), and Antarctica.

Today, Brunei has much interest in leveraging space technologies for resource management and addressing various environmental challenges. For India, the geographical location of Brunei, which is close to the equator, is very attractive. If India plays its cards well, then it can establish a launchpad for satellite launching at Brunei. This country is favourably located for the establishment of a spaceport. For various reasons, launchpads close to the equator are perfect locations for launching and monitoring satellites in polar and geostationary orbits. Mainly, such launches are very cost-effective since they require less fuel.

The recent visit by the Indian Prime Minister to Brunei coincides with the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Brunei. For more than two decades, India has been investing in space technologies for the engagement of Brunei, and it is expected that India will be increasingly using space as an important instrument for amplification of its Act East policy.

The author is Deputy Director General, MP-IDSA, New Delhi. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.