India approves “Private Sector Participation in Space Activities”

It is to establish India’s position as one of the important players in the global space economy

• Union Cabinet has approved participation of the private sector in the entire range of space
  activities, including planetary exploration missions
• The newly-created Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) will
  provide a level playing field for private companies
• With these reforms, the sector will receive new energy and dynamism, to help the country
  leapfrog to the next stages of space activities

Salient highlights of the approval

• These reforms will allow ISRO to focus more on research and development activities, new
  technologies, exploration missions and human spaceflight program
• The newly-created Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) will
  provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure
• This centre will also hand-hold, promote and guide the private industries in space activities
  through encouraging policies and a friendly regulatory environment
• The ‘New Space India Limited (NSIL), a PSU under the Department of Space, will endeavor to reorient space activities from a ‘supply driven’ model to a ‘demand driven’ model, hereby ensuring
  optimum utilization of our space assets
• Some of the planetary exploration missions will also be opened up to private sector through an
  ‘announcement of opportunity’ mechanism
• This will not only result in an accelerated growth of this sector but will enable Indian Industry to
  be an important player in global space economy
• With this, there is an opportunity for large-scale employment in the technology sector and India
  becoming a global technology powerhouse
• The proposed reforms will enhance the socio-economic use of space assets and activities,
  including through improved access to space assets, data and facilities
• These reforms will allow ISRO to focus more on research and development activities, new
  technologies, exploration missions and human spaceflight program

What is “New Space India Limited (NSIL)”?

• It is a Central Public Sector Enterprise of Government of India
• It was established on 6 March 2019 under the administrative control of Department of Space
  (DOS), India
• The main objective of NSIL is to scale up industry participation in Indian space programs
• Transfer of Small Satellite technology to industry: NSIL will obtain license from DOS/ISRO and
  sub-license the same to Industry
• Manufacture of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) in collaboration with Private Sector
• Production of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) through Indian Industry
• Production and marketing of Space based products and services, including launch and
  application
• Transfer of technology developed by ISRO Centers and constituent units of DOS
• Marketing of spin-off technologies and products or services, both in India and abroad

Background for the approval

• Under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, to further advance
  India’s capabilities in the space sector, the Cabinet approved the participation of the private sector
  in various space activities
• This long-awaited move from the Indian Government is highly significant in order to establish
  India’s position as one of the important players in the global space economy
• The decision will bring new energy and dimension to the entire space sector
• It will also help in building an AtmaNirbhar Bharat by making the space sector self-reliant and
  technologically advanced

Pic courtesy : republicworld.com