The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 11th May 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Why in News?

Recently, the government approved the Indian Space Policy – 2023. The policy states that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), as the national space agency will focus primarily on the research and development of new space technologies and applications and on expanding the human understanding of outer space.

• The policy is described as a futuristic one that will position India and launch the Indian Space Sector in the 21^st century.

Details

• It seeks to institutionalise the private sector participation in the space sector, with ISRO focusing on research and development of advanced space technologies.
• 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.
• The Indian Space Policy-2023, also delineated the roles and responsibilities of ISRO, space sector PSU NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) and Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe).
• 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 a demand-driven mode.
• The INSPACe, created recently, will be the interface between Indian Space Research Organisation and non-governmental entities.
• The policy also spells out the framework for the private sector to use ISRO facilities for a small charge and encourages them to invest in creating new infrastructure for the sector.
• 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.
• The operational part of ISRO's missions will be moved to the NewSpace India Limited, a public sector undertaking under the Department of Space.

What is the Significance of the Policy?

• Key Steps to Boosting India's Space Industry: The policy will develop space industry standards, promote identified space activities and work with academia to widen the space ecosystem and enable industry-academia linkages.
• Innovation and Maintaining India's Leadership: ISRO will focus on research into outer space. This will lead to the development of new space technologies and applications to maintain India’s edge in the areas of space infrastructure, space transportation, space applications, capacity building and human spaceflight.
• Expanding India's Footprint in Space: To augment space capabilities; enable, encourage and develop a flourishing commercial presence in space; use space as a driver of technology development and derived benefits in allied areas; pursue international relations, and create an ecosystem for effective implementation of space applications among all stakeholders.

Why Private Sector Participation is Important?

• To Increase Global Space Economy: India’s share in the global space economy is less than 2% at present and the space policy will help it increase substantially to 10% in the future.
  • This policy 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.
• Space Exploration: Allowing private companies to perform space missions has benefited nations such as the United States by promoting private-sector investment.
  • For example, SpaceX’s reusable Falcon 9 rockets has become a popular choice for space missions around the world.
• International Competitiveness: With the increasing global interest in space exploration, private companies can help countries remain competitive in the industry.
• Flexibility: Private companies are often more agile and adaptable than government agencies, allowing them to respond more quickly to changing market demands and technological advancements.

What is the Current Status of India’s Space Sector?

• Current Scenario:
  • The Indian Space Sector has been globally recognised for building cost-effective satellites, and now India is even taking foreign satellites to space.
  • As part of India's commitment to the Geneva Conference on Disarmament (1979), the country continues to advocate peaceful and civilian use of outer space and oppose any weaponization of space capabilities or programs.
  • ISRO is the 6^th largest space agency in the world and holds an exceptional success rate.
  • With over 400 private space companies, India ranks fifth globally in the number of space companies.
  • According to the Economic Survey of India, there have been over 100 active space companies since 2012.
• Recent Developments in India’s Space Sector:
  • Defence Space Agency: India has recently set up its Defence Space Agency (DSA) supported by the Defence Space Research Organisation (DSRO) which has the mandate to create weapons to “degrade, disrupt, destroy or deceive an adversary’s space capability".
    • Also, the Indian Prime Minister launched the Defence Space Mission at the Defence Expo 2022, Gandhinagar.
  • Expanding Satellite Manufacturing Capabilities: India’s satellite-manufacturing opportunity will reach USD 3.2 billion by the year 2025 (in 2020 it was USD 2.1 billion)
  • SAMVAD Program: To encourage and nurture space research among young minds, ISRO launched its Student Outreach Program called SAMVAD at its Bengaluru facility.

Conclusion

The introduction of India's new space policy is a significant milestone in fostering a commercial space ecosystem, but there are still important questions to be addressed to fully realize the potential benefits of private sector participation. Clear directives on how the government and other entities will actively engage with private start-ups and the regulatory role of INSPACe will be critical in ensuring that the policy leads to a thriving and sustainable commercial space industry in India.