Key Terms & Concepts — UPSC Mains
Outer Space Treaty, 1967
"The foundational international space-law treaty establishing that states bear international responsibility for national space activities, including those of private, non-governmental entities."
The Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, commonly the Outer Space Treaty, 1967, is the foundational instrument of international space law. It establishes that outer space is free for exploration and use by all states, is not subject to national appropriation, and that states bear international responsibility for national space activities, including those carried out by non-governmental entities (private companies), which must be authorised and continuously supervised by the state under whose jurisdiction they operate. This state-responsibility principle is the reason national governments, rather than the companies themselves, must authorise and oversee private-sector space activity, from satellite launches to, increasingly, planned atmospheric re-entry operations. It works together with the Liability Convention, 1972, which fixes the specific liability standard (absolute liability for surface damage) that flows from a state's Outer Space Treaty responsibility. India's 2026 IN-SPACe re-entry authorisation guidelines are a direct domestic operationalisation of India's Outer Space Treaty obligations, requiring Indian entities (and foreign entities operating through an Indian-incorporated company) to obtain prior authorisation for any planned atmospheric re-entry, precisely because India as a state remains internationally responsible and liable for the activity.
A foundational GS3 space-technology/regulation and GS2 international-treaty topic, essential background for any question on India's private space sector, IN-SPACe's regulatory role, or space debris and re-entry governance.
- 1 Full treaty: Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in Outer Space, 1967.
- 2 Outer space is free for exploration/use by all states; not subject to national appropriation.
- 3 States bear international responsibility for national space activities, including private/non-governmental ones.
- 4 Private space activity must be authorised and continuously supervised by the relevant state.
- 5 Works alongside the Liability Convention, 1972, which fixes the specific liability standard.
- 6 Directly operationalised by India's 2026 IN-SPACe re-entry authorisation guidelines.
India's obligation under the Outer Space Treaty, 1967 to authorise and continuously supervise private space activity is the legal basis for IN-SPACe's 2026 requirement that any Indian entity obtain prior permission before a planned atmospheric re-entry.
