IN-SPACE: Cabinet opens space assets for all, OKs new space board In-Space to provide level-playing field to private companies | India News


NEW DELHI: In a historic decision,the Union Cabineton Wednesday decided to open up the country’s space assets for all with an aim to boost the private sector’s participation in the entire range of space activities and also approved setting up of a newspace boardcalled Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe). TOI was the first to report about the proposed space board earlier this month.
Announcing the decision, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said, “India has excelled in the space sector and built up good space assets. Now, the Modi government has decided to open up space assets for all.” With these reforms, the sector will receive new energy and dynamism to help the country leapfrog to the next stages of space activities.
On the Cabinet decision, PM Narendra Modi tweeted, “The Union Cabinet’s approval to reforms in the space sector is yet another step towards making our nation self-reliant and technologically advanced. The reforms will boost private sector participation as well. 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.”

Explaining the new set-up, minister of state (space)Jitendra Singhsaid, “The new board will provide a level-playing field toprivate companiesto use India’s space infrastructure and will also hand-hold, promote and guide the private industry in space activities through encouraging policies and a friendly regulatory environment. ” Singh said Isro will continue to function like earlier and these reforms will allow the parent organisation to focus more on research and development activities, new technologies, exploration missions and human spaceflight programme.
He said another recently formed New Space India Ltd (NSIL) will see its role extended. “It will endeavour to re-orient space activities from a ‘supply driven’ model to a ‘demand driven’ model, thereby ensuring optimum utilisation of our space assets. Isro, NSIL and the space board will supplement each other’s work and not work at cross-purposes, Singh said. While Isro will continue to take all key decisions on space activities, projects and missions, NSIL and IN-SPACe will help facilitate and regulate these activities, and fulfil demands of the private sector,” he clarified.
He said the space reforms will enable Indian Industry to be an important player in global space economy and prevent brain-drain from the space sector. He said. “Our students are making satellites but launching them from foreign soil. Now this thing won’t happen. They can launch their satellites from here.”
On the space board, the minister said, “We are in the process of devising the mechanism, set-up and official strength of the board.” On the private sector’s role in upcoming missions, Singh said, “It will be decided on a case-to-case basis.” On Gaganyaan, he said the training of astronauts was halted in Russia due to Covid but it has now resumed.
Watch Now, Cabinet opens India’s space infrastructure to private companies

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