'India Cannot Be Left Behind': Prime Minister Modi Launches Space Association
14:39 GMT 11.10.2021 (Updated: 16:57 GMT 12.04.2023)
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During the virtual launch of the Indian Space Association, which will be headed by Lt. Gen. Anil Bhatt (Retd), Prime Minister Modi said that in the last seven years, space technology has been converted into a tool of last-mile delivery and transparent governance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched the Indian Space Association (ISpA), an industry body that will represent various stakeholders in the country's space domain. Modi said that the world is moving away from the Information Technology age to the Space age, and India cannot be left behind.
During the virtual launch event, the prime minister said that the government's approach to space reforms is based on four pillars: the freedom of innovation to the private sector, the role of the government as an enabler, preparing youth for the future, and seeing the space sector as a resource for the progress of the common man.
तीसरा, भविष्य के लिए युवाओं को तैयार करना
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 11, 2021
और चौथा, Space सेक्टर को सामान्य मानवी की प्रगति के संसाधन के रूप में देखना: PM @narendramodi
While interacting with representatives of the Space Industry, Modi said India is one of the few countries which has developed expertise in launching vehicles, satellites, and interplanetary exploration.
Speaking at the launch of Indian Space Association. https://t.co/PWnwsL54Z8
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 11, 2021
"We need to strengthen the brand value of efficiency and affordability and we need to become part of the end-to-end space system supply chain. As partners, the government will support the industry, young innovators, startups," Modi said.
He also stated that the Indian government has played a crucial role in introducing the private players in space technology, as earlier the space sector was only limited to the government.
"From the Defence to the Space sector, the government is sharing its expertise, providing a launchpad for the private sector and ISRO's facilities are being opened. We will ensure that technology that has matured in the sector is transferred to private companies and the government will act as an aggregator for space assets," he said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi also emphasised that the government aims to increase the participation of women in the field.
During the address, he also stated that there has never been such a decisive government in India as it is today.
"Our space sector is a big medium to make progress for the 1.30 billion citizens of the country. For us, the space sector means better mapping, imaging and connectivity for the common man. For us, the space sector means a better speed for the entrepreneurs from shipment to delivery," the Prime Minister's Office quoted him as saying in a tweet in Hindi.
हमारा स्पेस सेक्टर, 130 करोड़ देशवासियों की प्रगति का एक बड़ा माध्यम है।
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 11, 2021
हमारे लिए स्पेस सेक्टर यानी, सामान्य मानवी के लिए बेहतर मैपिंग, इमेजिंग और connectivity की सुविधा!
हमारे लिए स्पेस सेक्टर यानी, entrepreneurs के लिए शिपमेंट से लेकर डिलीवरी तक बेहतर स्पीड: PM @narendramodi
The newly-launched ISpA aims to be the voice of the country's space sector and its founding members include Larsen & Toubro, Nelco (Tata Group), OneWeb, Bharti Airtel, Mapmyindia, Walchandnagar Industries, and Ananth Technology Limited. Other core members include Godrej, Hughes India, Azista-BST Aerospace Private Limited, BEL, Centum Electronics, and Maxar India.
Over the years, India led by its space agency ISRO has made consistent progress in the space sector.
Now, many global, as well as domestic companies, are taking an interest in the domain of space, especially space-based communication networks. SpaceX’s StarLink, Sunil Bharti Mittal’s OneWeb, Amazon’s Project Kuiper among others have already bet on satellite communications as the next frontier to provide internet connectivity.
Until now satellite communications have had limited usage by a few corporations and institutions for emergency purposes.
Reportedly, India has only 300,000 satellite communications customers as compared with 4.5 million in the US and 2.1 million in the European Union.
