Cabinet Approves Indian Space Policy 2023, Aims to Spur Lift-off by Private Players

Giving major impetus to the private space economy, the union cabinet has approved the Indian Space Policy 2023, which aims to boost the role of all the space research institutes, start-ups, as well as the industry.

“The policy will offer clarity on the role of each of the space institutions. It will not just support various missions of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) but also enhance the participation of start-ups and industry. They will feel emboldened,” said union minister of state (independent charge) for science and technology Dr Jitendra Singh following the meeting.

The policy is part of the government’s plan to boost India’s market share in the global space economy. Despite being among a few spacefaring nations in the world, India accounts for only about 2% of the space economy, which is currently valued at about $360 billion.

In 2020, India opened its largely government-run space sector for private players which were mostly confined to being vendors or suppliers to the government’s space programme. Over the past three years, as many as 150 private start-ups have come up. Last year, the country also witnessed the launch of its first privately built space rocket.

The policy aims to spur these start-ups and encourage them to carry out independent space missions. This would be done by providing a level playing field and favourable regulatory environment for indigenous players, enabling ease of business through single-window mechanisms, with predictable timelines. The setting up of IN-SPACe and NSIL was also done in this direction.

The government also plans to make national space infrastructure developed by ISRO over the years available for use by the private industry through a business-friendly mechanism. This includes facilities pertaining to testing, tracking and telemetry, launch pads, and laboratories, created by ISRO over the past six decades.

A mechanism has been set up where industries can approach IN-SPACe for utilising ISRO facilities. The government has made clear that while ISRO will continue to focus on space exploration, the private sector will be encouraged to develop end-to-end space capabilities.

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