India eyes role in global supply chains in space sector

Modi cited the government's success in privatising loss-making public airline Air India to assert that this shows its commitment and seriousness

India has to move beyond being a supplier of space components and emerge as a provider of end-to-end space systems in the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday.

Modi was speaking at the launch of the Indian Space Association, an industry association of private players in the space sector that represents companies such as L&T, NELCO, OneWeb, MapmyIndia, Walchandnagar Industries among others.

The Prime Minister said that it was possible for India to be a part of the end-to-end supply chain of space systems with the partnership of all stakeholders. “The government has been supporting the industry, young innovators and start-ups at every stage and will continue to do so,” he said.

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Modi added that India was among the few countries that have the end-to-end capability in the space sector ranging from building satellites, launch vehicles, applications and interplanetary missions.

“Government's approach to space reforms is based on four pillars – freedom of innovation to the private sector, the role of the government as an enabler, preparing youth for the future, and to see the space sector as a resource for the progress of the common man,” the prime minister said.

Modi noted that his government had opened up the space sector for private players and expressed readiness to remove any obstacle in the growth of the sector.

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“This new thinking is required as this is no longer the time for linear innovation for India. This is the time for exponential innovation,” he said, adding that the government will play the role of an enabler for growth in the sector.

He said the launch of the Indian Space Association was timely as the suggestions and inputs shared by the industry would help in the formulation of the space communication and remote sensing policies which are being finalised.

Citing the example of the United Payments Interface (UPI), the prime minister spoke of creating a platform-based approach wherein the government creates an open-access public controlled platform that is made available to the industry.

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He said that ISRO had already opened up its facilities for the private sector and new entities such as InSpace, New Space India Limited have been supporting start-ups and the private sector.

“Rules related to the geospatial mapping sector have been made simpler to enable start-ups and private enterprises to explore opportunities,” Modi said.

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