Thiruvananthapuram: The Indian space sector is aiming to achieve an 8 to 10 per cent share in the global commercial space market over the next 10 years, and for that, a lot of work needs to be done, ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan said here on Friday.
In an exclusive interview with PTI Videos, Narayanan said India needs to improve infrastructure, industry-led development, and manufacturing capabilities.
At present, India’s share in the global commercial space market is less than 2 per cent.
“In the initial phase of our activities, we were not focusing on the commercial aspect. But today, we are in the commercial field,” Narayanan said.
He said India’s OneWeb India Mission helped improve the country’s commercial credibility—a project indigenously developed due to geopolitical reasons following the Ukraine war.
“Using one rocket, we had to place 36 satellites into orbit. Achieving a difference of just a few centimetres in orbital placement is not an easy task. We accomplished it through a unique scheme, demonstrating a commercially successful mission. It surprised the entire international community,” he said.
He added that India has so far carried out 14 commercial launches.
“A country that did not have satellite technology, launch vehicle technology, or application-oriented capability 50 years ago has now launched 433 satellites for 32 countries. So, we are in the game,” he said.
Narayanan said ISRO would soon launch a 6,500-kg commercial satellite from the United States using its Mark III rocket, the last of three missions India is undertaking in coordination with NASA.
India had successfully launched the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite—the costliest satellite launched so far—on July 30 using the Mark II F16 rocket.
The ISRO chairman said that since the Prime Minister rolled out space sector reforms to encourage public-private partnerships, capacity building has been steadily increasing.
“Ten years ago, we hardly had one startup working in the space area. Today, we have over 300 startups operating in the sector,” Narayanan said.
He noted that demand for space-based services has been rising across sectors.
“For example, earlier, if someone approached a bank for an agricultural loan, officials had to physically verify the land and the crops being cultivated. Now, they can assess the data in real time. Similarly, in the event of a drought, real-time assessments can be done from indoors, instead of through physical surveys.
“A lot of real-time data processing is happening, and data with up to five-centimetre resolution is available free of cost. People can process this data and use it for multiple purposes,” he added.
He said other countries are now approaching India for their space requirements, recognizing the country’s technological advancements.
“Don’t think India is the India of 1947. Today, we are a spacefaring, dynamic nation. For example, on the 30th of last month, we launched NASA’s NISAR satellite, worth Rs 10,300 crore. NASA came to India for the launch. That shows our technological capability, advancement, and the precision with which our people work. This is what’s motivating other countries to come to us,” he said.
When asked whether ongoing trade restrictions and tariff policies under the Trump administration might affect space collaboration between India and the U S, Narayanan said the subject is beyond his “domain of expertise”.
“These two things—politics and science—have to be separated. I am a technocrat, and that question is beyond my domain,” he said.
However, the ISRO chief added, “Technologically, we are in an advanced state. So whatever contracts we have signed, we are going to execute. That is all I can comment on.”
Welcoming the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in the Indian space sector, Narayanan said ISRO alone cannot meet growing market demand, and the private sector has a significant role to play.
“When I joined ISRO, there used to be one launch every three years. This year, we plan to have one launch every month. Now, you may ask why we need so many launches. So far, we have developed 132 satellites, of which 55 are currently in orbit, serving the people of this country.
“These services ensure national safety and security. Do you know how many satellites are required for that? Two years ago, our counterparts deployed 100 satellites in a single year. The demand for satellite technology is enormous,” Narayanan said.
He projected that in another three years, ISRO may need to have three times the current number of satellites in orbit to meet demand.
“ISRO alone cannot do this. It is a government organisation. Over the last 10 years, our manpower has grown by less than five per cent. That’s why the private sector needs to step in, in a big way,” he said.
He concluded by stating that, based on current demand, India should be launching three rockets per month to meet the country’s requirements.
