India’s space sector has received a rocket booster with the launch of the Indian Space Policy 2023. The policy lays out a comprehensive roadmap for the country’s ambitious space exploration and technological advancement plans. One of the key objectives of the new policy is to achieve self-reliance in space technology, and increase India’s share in the over $500 billion international space industry from the current two per cent to 10 per cent by 2030. Towards this end, besides the support from the government, the policy calls for investment and participation from the private sector in a big way.
The Indian space sector has been recognised globally for manufacturing cost-effective satellites. The new space policy aims to establish India as a key player in space research and development (R&D). To this end, the government has identified several specific areas of focus, including deep space exploration, planetary science, and human spaceflight. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has already made significant strides in these areas, with successful missions to the moon and Mars, and the policy aims to build on these achievements.
The goalposts
According to ISRO Chairman S Somnath, the focus of the space policy will be to increase the participation of private companies in a range of space activities. It may be recalled that the Union Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2020 decided to open up the space sector to private sector companies. It approved a draft law that enabled the private sector to undertake or participate in a number of space activities such as manufacturing/developing rockets and satellites, providing launching services and owning satellites.
The new policy identifies the space industry as a priority sector for investment. The private sector will be able to use ISRO’s facilities for a very low fee, which can encourage investment in infrastructure in this area. According to Jitendra Singh, India’s Minister of State for Science and Technology, the private sector companies will have access to end-to-end space activities, and would be able to manufacture rockets, satellites and launch vehicles, besides collecting and disseminating data.
Says Director General of the Indian Space Association, Lt Gen A K Bhatt (Retd), and “The Cabinet’s approval of the Indian Space Policy 2023 is a historic moment. It will pave the way forward with the much-needed clarity in space reforms and increase private industry participation to drive the space economy opportunity for the country.”
Significanly, private company Skyroot Aerospace has already conducted sub-orbital flight with its solid fuel based single-stage Vikram S rocket.
Clear determination of roles
The policy aims to promote the role of the Department of Space (DOS) and provide greater participation to research, academia, startups and industry. The policy sets out the roles and responsibilities of organisations such as the ISRO, the space sector PSU New Space India Limited (NSIL) and the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe).
It lays emphasis on sharpening the focus of ISRO on R&D. ISRO will move its operational activities to its marketing arm, NSIL, and will focus its energies on developing new technologies, and systems.
Strategic activities related to the space sector will be carried out by the NSIL, a public sector undertaking under the DOS, which will operate on a demand driven mode. The main objective of NSIL is to increase private sector participation in Indian space programmes. IN-SPACe, will act as an interface between ISRO and non-governmental organisations. It has been set up as a single-window, independent, nodal agency to function as an autonomous agency under the DOS.
Space for the greater good
The policy includes several measures to promote the use of space technology for socio-economic development. This includes the development of applications in areas such as agriculture, disaster management, and urban planning. The government has identified the potential of space technology to address several critical challenges facing the country, and the policy aims to leverage this potential for the benefit of society.
Through this policy, India will be able to further utilise its space research capability in developing remote sensing satellites which provide vital data for monitoring soil, drought conditions and crop growth. It will also start a space awareness programme at the village level in the country.
Harnessing the youth
A ‘College-ISRO Internship Corridor’ will be created especially for girl students so that they can get acquainted with the possibilities of spreading their wings in space. Space Kidz India, a Chennai-based space tech start-up, is set to launch their satellite made by 750 girls from government schools aboard an ISRO launch vehicle.
Boosting Employment
The policy will provide a framework for the development of a strong space industry in India, which will generate employment opportunities and contribute to the country’s economic growth.
With the increase of startups in the space field, many new research and processes will also increase for the space sector. Pertinently, Jitendra Singh said that the number of space startups has reached 150 within three years of the opening up of the space sector for private participation at the initiative of the Prime Minister.
Summing up
Some experts have expressed concern that the policy, despite being very progressive and futuristic, lacks clear timelines for achieving its objectives, while others have raised questions about the allocation of resources and funding for the various programs outlined in the policy. They argue that the policy places too much emphasis on commercialisation and private sector participation. However, the Indian Space Policy 2023 represents a comprehensive and forward-looking plan for the country’s space sector, and its success will depend on the effective implementation and management of its various components.
-The writer is a senior journalist. The views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
