The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved Indian Space Policy 2023, which will aim to enhance the role of the Department of Space, boost activities of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) missions and give a larger participation of research, academia, startups and industry.

The Indian Space Policy was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The policy also delineated the roles and responsibilities of ISRO, space sector PSU NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) and the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe).

Notably, the space sector was opened up to the private sector earlier by the government to help boost the development of the sector. The entry of the private sector in the space sector would enable the ISRO to channelise its focus on research and development of advanced space technologies.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a decision to open the space sector for private participation. Today because of this within 3 years, the number of startups has reached about 150 in ISRO...," said Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh at a press briefing on Thursday.

"Today Cabinet has approved Indian Space Policy 2023 which in brief would offer clarity to the role of each of these other components which have been set up to enhance the role of the space department, to give a boost to the activities of ISRO missions. To have larger participation between the research academia, startups and industry," the Minister added.

Singh said the policy will allow the private sector to take part in end-to-end space activities that include building satellites, rockets and launch vehicles, data collection and dissemination.

The union minister also said strategic activities related to the space sector will be carried out by NSIL, a public sector undertaking under the Department of Space, which will work in a demand-driven mode.

ISRO Chairman S Somanath told reporters that the focus of the Space Policy would be to increase the participation of the private players in the space sector.

The INSPACe, created recently, will be the interface between Indian Space Research Organisation and non-governmental entities, said Somanath.

The ISRO chairman said the policy also spells out the framework for the private sector to use ISRO facilities for a small charge and also encourages them to invest in creating new infrastructure for the sector.

He said ISRO will not do any operational and production work for the space sector and focus its energies on developing new technologies, new systems and research and development.

"This is a historic moment as the cabinet today approved the Indian Space Policy 2023. It will pave the way forward with much-required clarity in space reforms and augment private industry participation to drive the space economy opportunity for the country,” said Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt (retd.), Director General, Indian Space Association.

“We have been waiting for it for quite some time, and today's announcement has come as a pleasant surprise. We keenly await and look forward to going through the details of the policy. We would like to thank the prime minister for his visionary leadership with a special focus on long-due reforms in the Indian space sector," he added.

Image source: PTI