Future Indian Space – Renewing Policy dimensions

Indian space activities have made tremendous progress in the past 50 years with successful programmes of Indian communication satellites in INSAT; Indian EO satellites in IRS and Indian launch vehicles in the PSLV and GSLV. India has also had a mission to Moon - Chandrayaan-1; a mission on-way to Mars and the IRNSS. Successful foray into global markets have also been achieved. In the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-2017), Indian is planning for 58 missions with an investment of almost 6 B USD (at 2013 rates). Today, Indian Space Programme is at a cusp with the need for a LONG TERM STRATEGY FOR SPACE – basically creating a roadmap that will look 30-50 years ahead and address several key questions in the public domain. Indian space needs to orient for a quantum jump in technological growth, adopt organisational models and collaborative strategies that will ensure economic efficiency and position a vibrant private sector. Important questions are being raised on the public and national consequences for Indian human space-flight and planetary exploration programme; how India must quest for a larger share and role in global space market; strategies to deal with changing political and economic environments and focused imperatives of international cooperation. National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) in India has undertaken a suo-moto study for assessing Indian Space endeavour and addressing design of a futuristic Indian Space Policy. NIAS has studied the past 40 years of Indian space with an in-depth analysis of the evolving eco-system, unique performance dimensions of the achievements and critical gaps. A careful analysis of the existing policies - SATCOM policy and RSDP has also been carried out. The Indian Space industry sector and their present role but immense potentials has also been assessed. Looking ahead, NIAS argues the case for the a comprehensive “Indian Space Policy” which addresses the long-term strategy of Indian space – public goal of space as a national capability building; a national commitment to provide operational space service in the country; a good regulatory regime that promotes the Indian Space enterprise; enabling a vibrant and equitable eco-system of government-private sector partnership; systems to undertake advanced technology development; public and national commitment for human space-flight and planetary exploration mission investments; performance and social audits of space exploration activities etc. The paper discuses salient aspects of the NIAS study and outline key highlights and strong argument for a comprehensive Indian Space Policy

Perspectives for a National GI Policy (Including assessment of National Remote Sensing, Map and Data Sharing Policies)

Government of India is taking up the implementation of a National GIS – the core of which is a well-founded Geographic Information (GI) Asset that is seamlessly available for the whole nation, is continuously maintained/updated and would power many a GIS Decision Support applications for governance, enterprises and citizens. Space- and aerial-based Earth Observation (EO) data; survey and satellite-based positioning data; Geographical Information Systems or GIS databases/applications will be mainstay around which such a National GIS would be built. A Department of Science and Technology (DST) sponsored policy-research project was taken up by National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS). As part of the project, the international scenario of EO and GIS and Image Policies has been studied and compared and emerging policies of some nations active in this field across the world have been analysed – which helped trend-definition of the EO and GI Policy scene in the international domain. Similarly, the national eco-system and environment of GI policy has been analysed – especially from the technology, user needs and national security considerations. In specific, a key assessment and analysis of the existing individual policies for satellite remote sensing and EO, in the form of Remote Sensing Data Policy (RSDP), Open Map Policy for topographic maps and the National Data Sharing Policy that spells out sharing principles of information generated using public funds have been detailed. Thirdly, 62 key parameters (14 parameters pertain to EO Imaging; 11 to satellite-based positioning; 9 to advanced surveying; 7 to mapping/cartography; 14 to GIS databases/applications and 7 to eco-system issues) of national importance for GI policy definition have been identified and analysed in GI Policy context for India. Finally, an integrating framework of a National GI Policy has been determined – integrating EO images, satellite-based positioning, advanced surveying, mapping and GIS geodatabases/ applications – ultimately outlining national guidelines for GI creation, usage, sharing and also creating a national regime for its protected interests and development. This is a first of the kind study on GI Policy – comprehensively covering EO imaging, mapping, surveying, GIS and positioning a holistic policy perspective for National GIS. The report (available at Report No: R11-2012. (www.nias.res.in/docs/R11-2012-GI-Policy.pdf) has built a foundation for a national debate on GI Policy. The paper will discuss the report and provide an over-arching perspective of what is the National GI Policy and its next implementation steps

Performance measurement and best-practice benchmarking of mutual funds: combining stochastic dominance criteria with data envelopment analysis

Activity analysis, Diversification, Fund management, Portfolio choice, Risk management, G11, D81, C61,