Sustainable Development in South Asia: The Role of Space Technologies, Laws and Policies

Ram S. Jakhu is tenured Full Professor at the Institute of Air and Space Law (IASL), Faculty of Law, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. For the last 40 years, he has been teaching and conducting research in international space law, law of space commercialisation, space safety and security, national regulation of space activities, law of telecommunications, and public international law. In addition, he has been providing consultation to several private and governmental entities and drafting national laws and regulations in various countries. He is Project Director and Co-editor of the McGill Manual on International Law Applicable to Military Uses of Outer Space (MILAMOS Project); Project Director; and Editor-in-Chief of the McGill Encyclopedia of International Space Law. He holds DCL (PhD equivalent) and LL.M. degrees in Air and Space from McGill University as well as LL.M., LLB., and B.A. degrees from Panjab University, India.

Upasana Dasgupta holds a DCL (PhD equivalent) in Space Law from the Institute of Air and Space Law (IASL), McGill University. She has more than a decade of experience as a space law academic. She is a postdoctoral researcher at Graduate School of International Studies, Université Laval, Quebec, Canada focusing on divergent State practices regarding the principle of exploration and use of outer space for the benefit and interest of all. At O. P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India, to which Dasgupta is affiliated, she has taught courses such as space law and international law and relations. Further, as Board member of a non-profit ACES Worldwide- Alliance for Collaboration in the Exploration of Space, she is heading the Space and Sustainability Compact Agreement Initiative in South Asia.

Shakeel Ahmad held the position of Research Associate at the Institute of Air and Space Law (IASL) and the Faculty of Law at McGill University. He holds interdisciplinary degrees in both international law and international relations. He earned his LLM-International Law from the Law School of the University of Edinburgh in the UK and his Ph.D. in international law from the China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing. He also held a research fellow position at the Middle East Institute in Washington, DC, USA. He also served as Assistant Professor at the department of International Relations and focal person for the Center of International Law at National Defence University in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Nishith Mishra is Doctoral Candidate at the Institute of Air and Space Law and Faculty of Law (IASL), McGill University, while having previously completed his LL.M at the Institute. He works as Researcher with the Institute, and its Center for Research in Air and Space Law. He assists in various international academic projects and other initiatives. He holds a B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) degree from National Law University, Delhi, and certificates from the Indian Law Institute, New Delhi, India. He is recipient of multiple awards and scholarships. His areas of expertise include international space law and policy, legal regulation of artificial intelligence technologies and systems, sustainable development agendas and policies, as well as humanitarian projects such as and the Global Save Soil initiative, and he has published in his areas of interest.

General Overview: Role of Space Technologies, Laws and Policies in South Asia.- Bangladesh: Use of Space Applications to Enhance the 'Development Surprise'.- India: Continued Use of Space Technologies for Sustainable Development.- Pakistan: Accelerating Progress of Sustainable Development Through Use of Space Technologies.- Sri Lanka: Potential of Space Technologies in Achieving Sustainable Development.- Conclusion / Overall Assessment.