What Centre Said About Involvement Of Private Sector In Space Activities

With the liberation of the space sector, the central government today has informed the Parliament that the private sector is allowed to carry out end-to-end space activities in India.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, while answering the questions asked by Member of Parliament Dushyant Singh, said that the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) was created in the Department of Space for promoting, authorizing and overseeing the activities of non-government entities (NGEs) in Space Sector/sub sector.

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The minister added that private sector is being incentivised and encouraged to take up space activities. “IN-SPACe has brought out the Differential Pricing Policy, where the NGEs can use and utilise the state’s capital-intensive facilities and services on discounted basis in different vertical for its usage,” he added.

On questions on whether the government is establishing any public-private partnership model for earth observation satellite, the minister replied that the project is at the formative stage and is being worked out.

Regarding the incentive programs for conducting satellite launches through domestic rockets from Indian launch pads, Dr Singh said the incentives are being provided to space start-ups, academia and micro & small enterprises for conducting satellite launches of up to 50 kg (2 Nos) through NSIL rocket on NSIL approved pricing as per IN-SPACe Differential Pricing Policy.

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The Department of Science released a draft stating a new policy that has eased the regulations on private entities to participate in space-based activities. The policy was brought in to promote the participation of the private industry in India within the country and outside in order to fulfill the increasing demand for satellite bandwidth.

However, it is to be feared that private companies will have more profitable interests than developing solutions that cater to the immediate socio-economic needs of the country. Meanwhile, ISRO ever since its inception aimed to work on projects that can help India become self-reliant. It is also to be noted that in several instances in the past, the government favored the private sector over the public sector.