The 75-year-old friendship between China and Pakistan is not merely a historical mark, a dynamic strategic ecosystem, the frontier space, technology and knowledge are its characteristic features. With the world stepping into the New Space Age where space has emerged as an economic competition zone, strategic and scientific competition zone, there is a gradual shift in the Pakistan-China alliance towards a geopolitically grounded orientation to space cooperation.
The profound technology is as much as the progressive orientation of this transition. Compared to the increasing militarisation of other localities, the relationships between Pakistan and China in space have predominantly been the civilian ones: communications, food production, disaster relief, climate adaptation, and digital networking. Not only has this improved one of the longest bilateral relationships in developing countries, but it has also helped Pakistan to utilize space technology in its overall development policy.
It was a joint venture at the preliminary stages of the Pakistani space projects during which the country could not afford to build its own infrastructure and had to utilize the means of other countries to produce and launch satellites. China became a more technologically advanced ally. The first satellites and in particular the Badr family of Chinese producers were not just a token success; it preconditioned an institutional channel which would subsequently lead to the establishment of systematised co-operation under the communications, earth observation and lunar exploration banners.
This partnership took on a new level of importance in the 21st century when Pakistan decided to revive its space program, which had been effectively moribund since the 1990s. The successful launch of PAKSAT-1R in 2011 was a pivotal moment. This Chinese-built satellite was the catalyst for Pakistan’s digital communications network and was more than a technological achievement. It boosted television services, expanded telecommunication services across the country and showed how space technology can be used to drive economic development and social inclusion.
Pakistan’s satellite technology applications evolved over the next decade. In 2018, the country became part of the advanced Earth observation arena with the successful launch of PRSS-1 and PakTES-1A. These satellites provided high-resolution imagery for national development, resource management and environmental monitoring. Such capabilities were not a luxury but a necessity for a country facing climate-induced disasters, rapid urbanisation and with a large agricultural sector.
Pakistan’s move from Earth observation to deep space, involving the construction and launch of a lunar nanosatellite, iCube-Qamar, by Pakistani engineers on board a Chinese mission in 2024, marked a significant leap. This substantial technological and symbolic milestone was a testament to Pakistan’s growing ambitions in space. Its communications infrastructure was also strengthened that year with the launch of PAKSAT-MM1, a multi-mission satellite for communication, which provided high-speed internet, broadcasting, and broadband services, particularly in remote areas. Taken together, these developments reflect the fact that Pakistan’s technological development and growth are now inextricably linked to space cooperation. Such advancements are an extension of technology, not individual feats.
Other evidence of the further integration of the two nations in terms of technology is in the form of satellites such as EO-1, PRSC-S1 and HS-1. Hyperspectral devices such as Hs-1 are to be applied to further observe land use, vegetation health and mineral resources whereas EO-1 is to be applied to boost environmental and agricultural uses. In combination, these technologies are a shift towards multi-layered space-based analytics, rather than the simple use of satellite.
One of the characteristics of this collaboration is its integration into the national resilience systems. In Pakistan, satellite data is monitored by the Space Application Centre of Response in Emergency and Disasters (SACRED) to detect floods, landslides, earthquakes, glacial lake outburst floods, droughts and forest fires often with the help of Chinese platforms. Disaster management organisations operationalize this data to be used in disaster response settings and early warning systems. This is no longer a scientific benefit in a country where the climate has been hit by numerous disasters but a government requirement.
On the same note, agriculture, which is one of the economic pillars of Pakistan has been transformed by the satellite-based crop monitoring networks such as the Pakistan Satellite-Based Crop Monitoring System (PAK-SCMS). Pakistan is starting to shift to precision agriculture, which involves the integration of soil, meteorological and remote sensing data. This makes failure less likely, yield forecast more effective, and food security planning more robust in the face of increasing climatic uncertainty.
Another aspect on which this collaboration can take place is the management of water resources. Satellite technologies can be used to monitor river flows, level of reservoirs and irrigation systems. Since Pakistan is becoming a water stressed country, there is need to have such solutions to ensure long term sustainability. Concurrent monitoring of coastal habitats, especially the mangroves that provide natural protection against the impacts of climate change, and forest cover are being done through remote sensing.
Another emerging area is in urban governance. The Pakistani cities are growing rapidly and geospatial information collected in space is now utilized in land surveying, transportation optimisation, urban sprawl, and urban infrastructure planning. Evidence-based planning on the other hand is reactive urban development. It also shows how space cooperation is slowly being embraced by domestic political institutions.
The connectivity infrastructure can be discussed as one of the most strategic aspects of the Pakistani Chinese space cooperation. Pakistan PAKSAT-MM1 has allowed Pakistan to gain greater access to the digital service, such as telemedicine applications, the internet, and TV shows. It is noteworthy that it minimizes digital divide which has been a major obstacle to inclusive growth by expanding such services to remote and disadvantaged locations.
Consequently, this satellite will be a technology resource and a socioeconomic equaliser. The further level of technological synchronisation is implied by the usage of BeiDou Chinese navigation system alongside satellites. By becoming part of an alternative global navigation architecture, Pakistan has become more effective in logistics, resilient in navigation, and autonomous in positioning technology. In a world where the space-based navigation systems play a vital role in the military and civilian use, such a diversification is increasingly becoming acceptable.
Notably, the framework that emphasises the peaceful uses of space incorporates the entire architecture of Pakistan-China space cooperation. Pakistan’s participation in the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space demonstrates its commitment to space governance. In an era where space militarisation is gaining traction globally, this viewpoint provides a useful normative foundation. It is safe to assume that this cooperation will expand to more sophisticated and interlinked areas. These include joint space resource mapping, joint lunar missions, increased opportunities to participate in China’s space station, artificial intelligence satellite systems and climate change satellite missions. Improving institutional and human capital is also critical. Future collaborations will include satellite launches and engineering education, research and technology transfer. Sustainability will be considered by setting up research collaborative centres, expanding the number of space-oriented universities and institutes, and training Pakistani engineers in China’s new space facilities. As China and Pakistan celebrate their 75th year of state-to-state relations, space science and technology may be the key.
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