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), India 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.
Based on the in-depth analysis the evolving eco-system, unique performance dimensions, achievements and
critical gaps of the past 40 years, along with a careful analysis of the existing policies – SATCOM-1999 policy
and RSDP -2000/2011, the future contours of next 10-20 years of Indian Space activities have been studied.
Looking ahead, 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, resulting from 2 papers that NIAS prepared as part of its Policy Research studies and presented in
International Astronautical Congress, discuses salient aspects of the newer policy regime (in a way –
(new)Space for India) and outlines key highlights and strong arguments for a 2-pronged strategy for future –
one, for growth of innovation and advanced space technologies through public investments that will spur riskbased
future technologies and applications development AND second, carving a clearly larger role for Indian
private sector that takes over operational space assets manufacturing/ownership/services and downstream
application services – apart from becoming a “space-hub” for global space manufacturing
