Context

The government has approved the Indian Space Policy 2023 that seeks to institutionalise the private sector participation in the space sector.

About the Policy:

• The Space Policy would focus on increasing the participation of the private players.
• ISRO focusing on research and development of advanced space technologies.
• It 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).

Key features:

• 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.
• Now, the strategic activities related to the space sector will be carried out by NSIL, under the Department of Space, which will work in a demand-driven mode.
• 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.

India’s Space sector:

• The Indian Space Sector has been globally recognised for building cost-effective satellites, and now India is even taking foreign satellites to space.
• ISRO is the 6th largest space agency in the world and holds an exceptional success rate.
• With over 400 private space companies, India ranks fifth globally in no. of space companies.

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) that 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.