Dr Singh lauded the announcements in Budget 2024-25 regarding the space sector as visionary and with the potential to revolutionise India’s position in global space exploration and the private space industry.
According to the Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh stressed that the Modi government has liberated the space sector from its previous constraints, with the credit going to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He explained that for 60-70 years, the space industry operated under a self-imposed secrecy that restricted access to resources and knowledge, despite India having ample talent.
Dr Singh described the new Space Policy 2023 as a turning point that will allow private companies to participate in ISRO activities for the first time. Earlier, In-SPACe was set up in 2020 as a bridge between the government and private sectors, followed by the establishment of New Space India Limited to manufacture and assemble launch vehicles.
The minister expressed his delight at the rapid growth of the space sector, noting that the number of start-ups, which was only in single digits in 2021, has now risen to nearly 300, with many of them gaining global recognition.
He referred to AgniKul Cosmos, which has set up a private launch pad at ISRO’s facilities, and Skyroot, which has conducted the first private suborbital launch. These developments have caught the attention of international players like SpaceX. On employment opportunities, Dr Singh mentioned that India’s talent pool, which was earlier limited to opportunities abroad, now offers ample opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship in the country. He referred to an institute in Thiruvananthapuram that offers training in space technology, 60-70 per cent of whose graduates used to get contracted by NASA. Today, there are not only employment prospects but also opportunities to set up start-ups, opening up new avenues for livelihood.
Regarding the upcoming ISRO missions, Dr. Singh mentioned the much-awaited Gaganyaan mission, which was postponed due to COVID-19 but is now scheduled for next year, with test flights already underway.
He also shared plans for a female humanoid robot called Vayumitra, which will be launched into space in 2025 to perform astronaut duties and return to Earth.
If successful, India could send a human into space by the end of 2025. In addition, the construction of an Indian space station is planned for 2035, with the aim of landing an Indian astronaut on the moon by 2040.
