NEW DELHI: Isro chairman V Narayanan on Monday said the space agency remains a government organisation and dismissed concerns about its privatisation, saying the growing involvement of private companies and startups is part of efforts to expand India’s space ecosystem.His remarks came a day after nine employee associations at Isro centres sought official clarification on the proposed transfer of some manufacturing and operational functions to private entities.Speaking to reporters after the inaugural ceremony of the ninth edition of the Bengaluru Space Expo (BSX), Narayanan said the concerns raised by employees were genuine and that it was the organisation’s responsibility to address them.“So, surely, my colleagues, whatever they have, it is a genuine concern. It is our responsibility to clarify,” he said, as quoted by news agency PTI.Asked about different voices within Isro raising concerns, Narayanan said, “We will address the employees.”Also read: Isro says its ‘next chapter’ is leading national space ecosystem
Isro to work with private sector
Narayanan said India’s space programme was about 64-65 years old and that 56 space assets were currently operating in orbit to serve the country.He said the scale of India’s requirements meant that the number of space activities and launches would have to increase substantially.Recalling the space sector reforms introduced six years ago, Narayanan said the government’s approach was to support private companies and startups and expand the overall space ecosystem.“Since the space sector reforms were rolled out six years ago, as per that, we are supposed to hand-hold the private sector, startup companies, and grow the space ecosystem,” he said.He also said Indian industry already had a substantial role in Isro’s launch programmes.“In fact, whenever a PSLV or a GSLV is lifting off, almost 80 per cent budget is invested in Indian industries. A total of 450 industries are working for us,” Narayanan said.At the same time, he stressed that Isro itself had not been privatised.“We are working — it’s a government investment, and we are working there. But the only thing is, we now (have) so many activities. The space ecosystem in the country has to grow and the space economy has to grow,” he said.
Target of 50 launches a year
Narayanan said India’s requirements would eventually require around 50 launch vehicles a year.“The country’s requirement is around 50 launch vehicles per year. We have to go ahead,” he said.He recalled that when he joined Isro 43 years ago, the organisation conducted one launch roughly once every three years.“So many activities are going on. Probably one or two things are only known outside, but it is our responsibility to put everything in the Isro side. Fifty launches per year is going to be a reality,” he said.Narayanan added that the target would be achieved “by Indians in India”.The target of 50 launches a year by 2030 has also been cited by IN-SPACe chairman Pawan Goenka, who said the scale would require government and private industry to work together.Also read: Isro will never be privatised, its role won’t be diminished – Space Agency & INSPACe chief
Employee associations seek clarity
The nine employee associations had written to Narayanan on September 4 seeking clarification over the direction and basis of the transition towards greater private-sector participation.The associations represent employees at several Isro centres and raised questions over whether launch-vehicle design, development, integration, testing and launch operations would continue as Isro functions or be transferred to private entities.Also read: In a first, 9 Isro staff bodies seek ‘written clarity’ on private sector shiftThey also sought clarity on the future role of public-sector units, the transfer or opening of publicly developed technology and infrastructure to private operators, and the respective roles of NSIL and IN-SPACe.The employee bodies expressed concern that a progressive withdrawal of Isro from launch-vehicle and satellite realisation could affect in-house work, recruitment, sanctioned posts and career opportunities.Isro had said on Sunday that suggestions that the agency would be privatised or its importance reduced were “completely baseless and incorrect”.
Share your thoughts in the comments
Be respectful · TOI community guidelines
The agency said it would continue as India’s principal institution for advanced space research and technology development, national and strategic missions, space science and exploration, and critical and frontier space capabilities.It also said greater private-sector participation was intended to allow industry to scale mature technologies while Isro focused more on areas including frontier research, advanced technologies, human spaceflight, next-generation launch systems, deep-space and planetary missions, and strategic capabilities.
Leave a Reply