New Delhi: Giving a major boost to the private players, the Central government on Thursday approved the Indian Space Policy 2023. The policy seeks to institutionalise the private sector participation in the space sector. The private sector's entry into the space industry would allow the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to focus on research and development of advanced space technologies.
The Indian Space Policy-2023 was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The policy also outlines the roles and responsibilities of ISRO, space sector PSU NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) and Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe).
"Policy will allow private sector to take in space activities"
Talking to reporters, Union minister Jitendra Singh said, "In brief, the Indian Space Policy will offer clarity in the role of the components set up (in the recent past)." Singh said the policy will allow the private sector to take part in end-to-end space activities that include building satellites, rockets and launch vehicles, data collection and dissemination.
He said strategic activities related to the space sector will be carried out by NSIL, a public sector undertaking under the Department of Space, which will work in demand-driven mode.
What ISRO Chairman S Somanath said:
ISRO Chairman S Somanath told PTI that the focus of the Space Policy would be to increase the participation of the private players in the space sector. “The INSPACe, created recently, will be the interface between Indian Space Research Organisation and non-governmental entities,” Somanath said.
He said the policy also spells out the framework for the private sector to use ISRO facilities for a small charge and also encourages them to invest in creating new infrastructure for the sector.
Somanath said ISRO will not do any operational and production work for the space sector and focus its energies on developing new technologies, new systems and research and development.
ISRO to move operational activities to NSIL
The operational part of ISRO's missions will be moved to the NewSpace India Limited, a public sector undertaking under the Department of Space.
Somanath said India's share in the global space economy was less than two per cent at present and the space policy will help it increase substantially to 10 per cent in the future.
“...a historic moment…”
Lt Gen A K Bhatt (retd), Director General Indian Space Association said, "This is a historic moment as the cabinet has approved the Indian Space Policy 2023. It will pave the way forward with much-required clarity in space reforms and augment private industry participation to drive the space economy opportunity for the country."
Bhatt said the private sector had been waiting for the policy for quite some time and the announcement on Thursday came as a pleasant surprise.
"We keenly await and look forward to going through the details of the policy. We would like to thank the Prime Minister for his visionary leadership with a special focus on long-due reforms in the Indian space sector," Bhatt said.
(With PTI inputs)
