ISRO says space sector reforms focus on ecosystem expansion, not privatisation

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has issued a clarification on reports circulating in the media regarding speculations and misinformation that there is an attempt to privatise ISRO or reduce its role. In a social media post, ISRO said that it will neither be privatised nor will its importance be diminished. It added that participation of the private sector in space is aimed at enabling ISRO to focus even more strongly on the next generation of India’s space programme, while industry scales up mature technologies and capabilities.

ISRO said the space-sector reforms aim to create a larger, stronger and globally competitive Indian space ecosystem. It said the reforms should therefore be seen as ecosystem expansion and capability multiplication, rather than privatisation.

Noting the growth in India’s industrial and technological capabilities, ISRO said that mature and scalable activities can increasingly be undertaken by Indian industry. This would enable large-scale production, commercialisation, innovation and access to global markets, while allowing ISRO’s scientific and technical manpower to concentrate on advanced research, next-generation technologies and complex national missions.

ISRO said this approach will allow it to devote more resources and scientific manpower to the next generation of technologies and missions, while the wider ecosystem provides the investment, manufacturing capacity and scale required by an expanding national space programme.