A ground view of the Indian Space Policy 2023 | 11th May 2023 | UPSC Daily Editorial Analysis

What's the article about?

• It talks about the recently released Indian Space Policy 2023.

Relevance:

• GS3: Awareness in the fields of Space; Achievements of Indians in Science & Technology; Indigenization of Technology and Developing New Technology;
• Essay;
• Prelims

Context:

• Recently, the ISRO released the Indian Space Policy 2023.
• It has been received positively by industry. However, it needs to be followed up with suitable legislation, accompanied by clear rules and regulations.
• The writer of this article analyses the different ages of space for India and offers some key suggestions regarding this new policy.

History of Indian Space Environment in brief:

• Until the early 1990s, India’s space industry and space economy were defined by ISRO. Private sector involvement was limited to building to ISRO designs and specifications.
• The Second Space Age began with the licensing of private TV channels, the explosive growth of the Internet, mobile telephony, and the emergence of the smartphone.
• Today, while ISRO’s budget is approximately $1.6 billion, India’s space economy is over $9.6 billion. Broadband, OTT and 5G promise a double-digit annual growth in satellite-based services.
• It is estimated that with an enabling environment, the Indian space industry could grow to $60 billion by 2030, directly creating more than two lakh jobs.

Issues with earlier phases:

• Despite various policies and initiatives for space, an enabling policy environment proved to be elusive.
• This resulted in import of more and more foreign services and products in India. This hindered the development of the domestic space industry.
• The first satellite communication policy was introduced in 1997, with guidelines for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the satellite industry that were further liberalised but never generated much enthusiasm.
• Today, more than half the transponders beaming TV signals into Indian homes are hosted on foreign satellites, resulting in an annual outflow of over half a billion dollars.
• A remote sensing data policy was introduced in 2001, which was amended in 2011; in 2016, it was replaced by a National Geospatial Policy that has been further liberalised in 2022. Yet, Indian users including the security and defence agencies spend nearly a billion dollars annually to procure earth observation data and imagery from foreign sources.

Analysis of Indian Space Policy 2023:

• The Indian Space Policy 2023 is qualitatively different from previous efforts.
• The ‘Vision’ is to “enable, encourage and develop a flourishing commercial presence in space” that suggests an acceptance that the private sector is a critical stakeholder in the entire value chain of the space economy.
• It defines its role in India’s “socio-economic development and security, protection of environment and lives, pursuing peaceful exploration of outer space, stimulation of public awareness and scientific quest”.
• It makes five key points.
  • Civilian and peaceful applications:
    • There is only a single reference to the word ‘security’  in the document, making it clear that the focus is on civilian and peaceful applications.
  • Roles of other Space related department and agencies:
    • The policy lays out a strategy and then spells out the roles of the Department of Space, ISRO, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) set up in 2020, and the NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a public sector unit set up in 2019 under the Department of Space as the commercial arm of ISRO to replace the now defunct Antrix.
  • Role of ISRO redefined:
    • It states that ISRO will “transition out of the existing practice of being present in the manufacturing of operational space systems.
    • Hereafter, mature systems shall be transferred to industries for commercial exploitation.
    • This implies that ISRO will now use its biggest asset, its qualified and talented manpower, to concentrate on cutting edge research and development and long-term projects such as Chandrayaan and Gaganyaan.
  • Role of private sector or Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs):
    • NGEs are “allowed to undertake end-to-end activities in the space sector through establishment and operation of space objects, ground-based assets and related services, such as communication, remote sensing, navigation, etc.”.
    • NGEs can now make filings with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and engage in commercial recovery of asteroid resources. In short, the entire gamut of space activities is now open to the private sector. Security agencies can task NGEs for procuring tailor-made solutions to address specific requirements.
    • The activities of the NGEs will be in keeping with guidelines and regulation to be issued by IN-SPACe. It is expected to act as the single window agency for authorising space activities “by government entities and NGEs”, in keeping with safety, security, international obligations and overall national interests.
  • Regulatory role of the IN-SPACe:
    • The IN-SPACe is expected to create a “stable and predictable regulatory framework” that will ensure a level playing field for the NGEs. It will act as a promoter by setting up industry clusters and as the regulator, issue guidelines on liability issues.

Way Forward:

• The policy sets out an ambitious role for IN-SPACe but provides no time frame for the necessary steps ahead. Neither is there an indicative timeline for ISRO’s transitioning out of its current practices nor is there a schedule for IN-SPACe to create the regulatory framework.
• The Space Policy 2023 is a forward-looking document reflecting good intentions and a vision. But it is not enough. What is urgently needed is a time frame to provide the necessary legal framework to translate this vision into reality, to successfully launch India into the Second Space Age.