Another key topic of RIGF 2025, held on April 7 in Moscow, was international cooperation in internet governance and development, including at the space level. During the session titled Technology Without Borders: International Cooperation Mechanisms, experts, alongside moderator Vadim Glushchenko, Director of the Center for Global IT Cooperation, explored opportunities for international collaboration. They shared their own experiences and discussed popular products and successful programs aimed at supporting the export of domestic digital solutions.
The discussion was joined by Eduard Shantayev, General Director of the Federal Center for the Applied Development of Artificial Intelligence; Ivan Dronov, Digital Attaché at the Russian Trade Mission in Indonesia; Maxim Cherepakhin, Deputy General Director of the Moscow Export Center; Irina Andreyeva, Executive Director of the Vostok Center for the Development of Business and Cultural Relations; Ilya Massukh, Director of the Competence Center for Import Substitution in ICT; and Denis Studentsov, Director of Business Development at VisionLabs.
The session participants emphasized that digital sovereignty is becoming an increasingly critical issue, with countries striving to control their digital resources and safeguard citizens from external threats. In this regard, Russia’s experience is particularly valuable: despite sanctions, the country has remained resilient, advancing its own IT products and infrastructure. This underscores the potential for technological independence and enhances the appeal of Russian solutions to international partners.
The discussion highlighted that friendly countries are consistently expressing interest in Russian technologies and are eager to deepen cooperation on mutually beneficial terms. Effective exports cannot succeed without active government involvement, industry expertise, and adaptable support mechanisms. The session concluded with the understanding that promoting domestic IT solutions required blending traditional international platforms with new formats that prioritized practical partnerships and foster trust.
The session titled Global Dialogue and the Digital Agenda was moderated by Maria Bolshakova, Deputy Director General of the Regional Commonwealth in the Field of Communications (RCC). Participants reviewed the outcomes of 20 years of implementing the decisions from the World Summit on the Information Society and explored whether the Global Digital Compact could serve as a platform for constructive dialogue among participants with differing perspectives on the future of the internet. The session also addressed the role of new and emerging technologies in shaping an open, free, and secure digital future for all.
The session was attended by Anna Abramova, Director of the MGIMO Center for Artificial Intelligence and Academic Supervisor of the Master’s program in Artificial Intelligence; Cynthia Lesufi, Chair of the ITU Council Working Group on the Implementation of the Outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (WGS-WSIS&SDGs); Vladimir Minkin, Chief Researcher at the Telecom Research Center; and Gitanjali Sah, ITU Strategy and Policy Coordinator.
During the session titled In the Orbit of Digitalization: Space Internet, moderated by Mikhail Koryagin, Director of Information Infrastructure at Digital Economy, participants explored the opportunities presented by the development of satellite internet in Russia, as well as the key challenges facing the growth of space communications.
Andrey Ionin, Advisor to the General Director of Geoscan Group of Companies and member of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, stated that a true revolution is currently unfolding in the field of space communications. He explained that while high satellite costs, limited technology access, and low internet penetration were once major barriers to entering the space communications market, all three obstacles have now been successfully overcome. Ionin highlighted that just a few years ago, the creation of the Starlink system would have faced significant challenges; for example, one Iridium satellite cost $70 million (excluding launch costs), and there are 70 satellites in total. Today, Starlink has already deployed 7,000 satellites, and thanks to advancements in low-orbit technologies, modern ground-based microelectronics have proven sufficient, replacing components previously designed for rocket and space technologies.
“Moreover, space communications have now become an essential element and integral part of the digital economy, ensuring a guaranteed market and growth for this sector,” Andrey Ionin concluded.
The session was also attended by Karen Kazaryan, Director of Analytics at Digital Economy; Sergey Mardanov, Deputy General Director for Business Development at SR Space; and Milana Elerdova, First Deputy General Director of the Sputnix Group.
