News Highlight:
The Principal Scientific Advisor stated that the government would soon develop a new space policy to increase private sector participation in the India’s space industry.
India’s stand in the global space market
- As per Space Tech Analytics, India is the sixth largest player in the industry internationally, having 3.6% of the world’s space tech companies (as of 2021).
- The Indian Space Industry was valued at $7 billion in 2019 and aspires to grow to $50 billion by 2024.
- India’s total budgetary allocation for FY 2022-23 towards the Department of Space was ₹13,700 crore.
Current status of privatisation of the space sector in India.
- Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (INSPACe)
- IN-SPACe was formed to assess the need and demands of private players
- New Space India Ltd (NSIL)
- NSIL was formed to act as an interface between ISRO and private parties and assess how best to utilise India’s space resources and increase space-based activities.
- SpaceCom and SpaceRS policies
- Aims at regulating the commercial use of satellites, orbital slots, and ground stations for communication needs.
- More than 100 start-ups worked in the space sector, with 47 start-ups registering with the government in 2021.
- Five private satellites have been tested at ISRO facilities, and four student satellites were launched aboard the PSLV C-51
Importance of developing the space sector
- Space technology for governance and development.
- It is working with various ministries and government departments to extend the use of space technology in such areas as education and health, connectivity, and e-governance.
- For connectivity
- Satellite communication can reach more remote areas where conventional networks would require heavy complementing infrastructure.
- Country’s security
- The most basic way to secure our space capabilities is to distribute them across many different satellites and spacecraft
- So that continuity is unaffected even if an adversary disables one or more of our satellites.
- Combating Hazards
- Additionally, space technology can also serve as real-time monitoring and early-warning solutions against natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, wildfires, mining etc.
- Space-based services
- Indian industries do not have the resources or the technology to undertake independent space projects of the kind that US companies such as SpaceX have been doing or provide space-based services.
How the privatisation step will be beneficial for ISRO.
- Investment and expertise
- In the long run, private sector involvement is believed to help increase investment and expertise in the capital-intensive and high-tech sectors.
- Fruitful Dissemination of Space Technologies
- Allowing industries and others like students, researchers, or academic bodies greater access to space assets would lead to much better utilisation of India’s space resources.
- Technological advancement
- Commercialisation will also develop better technologies which are essential.
- It will allow the integration of many other technologies like artificial intelligence into space exploration activities.
- With experience from space activities, the private sector can increase the role of technology in other areas.
- Risk Sharing
- Every space launch consists of various risks.
- The private sector helps in sharing the risk of the cost factor.
- Cost-effective
- The operating costs of setting up bases and launching space vehicles in India are comparatively much less than those of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
- The privatisation will also ensure that the newer technology makes it more effective in price and efficiency.
Issues and Concerns of private participation in the space industry in India
- Data Risk
- Though space allows entrepreneurs raw data of ISRO in the hands of the public is sensitive and consists of the danger of misuse or improper utilisation of data.
- Unfair commercial practices
- Allowing the private sector may lead to lobbying and unfair means to get space projects or launch any satellite for profit.
- Revenue loss
- ISRO will lose a fair amount of money it earns through its space activities. This will reduce government revenue.
- India’s security
- The leakage of sensitive information by private players to other countries and terrorist organisations has affected India’s security.
The Government initiatives:
- New Space India Initiative:
- The commercial arm of ISRO is aimed at the production and marketing of space-based services, including launch services and space-based applications like transponder leasing, remote sensing, and mission support services.
- NewSpace India will enable better collaboration with start-ups and private sector players without the hassle of government intervention
- Spacecom Policy 2020:
- It will provide a framework for companies operating in the space come domain to launch space broadband services in India via the low-earth orbit (LEO) and medium earth orbit (MEO)
- IN SPACe
- It is a nodal agency that acts as a promoter and regulator of all space-related activities.
- IN-SPACe will work closely with private players to ensure greater collaboration with the private sector, sharing resources and facilities, fast-track approvals etc.
- Budget 2022-23
- The Centre earmarked Rs 13,700 crore for the Department of Space (DoS) in the Union Budget 2022-23.
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Content Source: The Hindu