ISRO chairman V Narayanan said on Saturday that the space agency would remain under government control and would not be privatised, clarifying that the growing involvement of private companies in India's space programme should not be mistaken for a change in its ownership, The Hindu reported.
Speaking at a graduation ceremony at Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research in Porur, Narayanan said private companies would undertake certain activities on a commercial basis as India expands its space capabilities to meet rising demand for satellite services.
Explaining the need for greater private-sector participation, Narayanan said India's 64-year-old space programme currently operates 56 satellites, while the country's demand runs into thousands.
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Referring to the Indian Space Policy, 2023, he said ISRO would support startups and private enterprises seeking to establish themselves in the space sector, the report added.
Narayanan said such collaboration would help expand India's space ecosystem, strengthen economic activity and create employment opportunities as the country increases its satellite manufacturing and launch capabilities.
“When a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) or Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) rocket takes off, 75% of our budget is pumped into private industries,” he said, highlighting the substantial contribution of private companies to India's space programme.
Narayanan reiterated that the expansion of commercial opportunities for private firms did not mean ISRO itself would be privatised. He stressed that the agency would continue operating under the Government of India while working with industry partners to strengthen the country's space capabilities.
Turning to upcoming missions, he said the launch of navigation satellite NVS-03 remained on schedule for October 30. The launch vehicle had been moved to the launch pad on Saturday, he added.
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Providing an update on the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme, Narayanan said the rocket was ready and the crew escape system had been developed. The environmental and safety systems required for the mission had also been developed.
ISRO plans to conduct three uncrewed missions before attempting a crewed flight, subject to the success of the preceding tests. Narayanan said preparations were underway for the first uncrewed mission, while approximately 8,000 experiments had already been conducted on the ground.
He also said Chandrayaan-4, which aims to land on the Moon, collect lunar samples and return them to Earth, was being planned for 2028.
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