Chirag Parikh

Chirag Parikh is a senior adviser (non-resident) with the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He has nearly 30 years of experience spanning leadership roles across space policy, intelligence, operations, and technology in both the government and private sector. He most recently served as deputy assistant to the president and executive secretary of the White House National Space Council, advising the president and vice president on the development, implementation, and resourcing of U.S. national space policy. Parikh led interagency policy coordination and implementation that strengthened U.S. space leadership and resilience, while deepening collaboration with allied governments and the private sector. He served as a senior executive at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, leading satellite collection operations, geospatial imagery analysis, and integration of new space-based capabilities for national security missions. As the director of space policy on the National Security Council, he led a multiyear interagency effort that improved space resiliency and governance. He served as the deputy national intelligence officer for science and technology at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, leading collection and analysis of emerging space and technology threats. In the private sector, he led the creation of Microsoft Azure Space, a company-wide business unit integrating data centers, cloud computing, and AI with the global space sector. Parikh is the founder and president of Indutara Space LLC, providing strategic guidance on investment, growth, and partnerships across the global space ecosystem. He holds a BS in aerospace engineering from the University of Cincinnati.