The new Indian Space Policy, made public yesterday, said the Indian Space Research Organisation shall transition out from manufacturing operational space systems and focus its energies on research and development in advanced technologies.

The Indian Space Policy – 2023, which was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security on April 6, also permits non-government entities to undertake end-to-end activities in the space sector through the establishment and operation of space objects, ground-based assets and related services such as communication, remote sensing and navigation.

The policy also states that Indian consumers of space technology or services — such as communication, remote sensing, data services and launch services — whether from the public or the private sector, shall be free to directly procure them from any source, according to a PTI report.

The government unveiled space sector reforms in 2020 by opening up the sector for private participation and the new space policy, published on the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) website on Thursday, has been formulated as an overarching, composite and dynamic framework to implement the reform vision.

However, a review of the policy by Indianbroadcastingworld.com reveals that the document is silent on matters like FDI.

Interestingly, the policy states that non-governmental entities (NGEs) would be encouraged to “use Indian orbital resources and/or non-Indian orbital resources to establish space objects for communication services over India and outside India”.

It goes on to add that NGEs could “make new ITU filings through the WPC/DOT (Indian government organisations) to acquire orbital resources” and are “free to make ITU filings through non-Indian administrations also”.

The PTI report stated that the policy said that ISRO, as the national space agency, will focus primarily on the research and development of new space technologies and applications and on expanding the human understanding of outer space.

To achieve this goal, the policy said ISRO shall carry out applied research and development of newer systems so as to maintain India’s edge in the sector in the areas of space infrastructure, space transportation, space applications, capacity building and human spaceflight.

It said the space agency shall transition out from the existing practice of being present in the manufacturing of operational space systems.

“Hereafter, mature systems shall be transferred to industries for commercial exploitation. ISRO shall focus on R&D in advanced technology, providing newer systems and realization of space objects for meeting national prerogatives,” the policy stated.

The policy stated that the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) shall function as an autonomous government organization, mandated to promote, hand-hold, guide and authorise space activities in the country.

The policy made it clear that NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), as the public sector undertaking under the Department of Space, shall be responsible for commercialising space technologies and platforms created through public expenditure.

It also mandated NSIL to manufacture, lease or procure space components, technologies, platforms and other assets from the private or the public sector on sound commercial principles.

The policy also tasked NSIL to service the space-based needs of users, whether government entities or non-government entities, on sound commercial principles.

It said the Department of Space shall oversee the distribution of responsibilities outlined in this policy and ensure that the different stakeholders are suitably empowered to discharge their respective functions without overlapping into the others’ domains.