Union Minister of State for Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh said that under Prime Minister Narendra modi, Space Sector in India is emerging as a major foreign exchange earner through the launch of a large number of foreign satellites.
In an exclusive interview with SANSAD TV, he said that India has launched 385 foreign satellites so far, out of which 353 were launched in the last 8 years under this government, which is around 90 percent of all launches. He also informed that out of total 220 million Euros earned by launch of foreign satellites, 187 million Euros generated in the last 8 years, which is around 85 percent of forex earned by launch of European Satellites.
Dr Singh said, it’s a matter of great pride that ISRO through its commercial arms has successfully launched foreign satellites belonging to even advanced countries like and USA, France, Israel, United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland on-board PSLV and GSLV-MkIII launchers under commercial agreement.
He said, many steps had already been taken since June 2020 after the Unlocking of the Space Sector for private participation by the Modi Government. He said, the NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) a Public Sector Enterprise under Department of Space, has been empowered to bring a commerce-oriented approach to space activities
Moreover, the creation of IN-SPACe as a single-window agency for the promotion and handholding of Non-Government Entities in conducting end-to-end space activities has resulted in a remarkable interest in the Start-up community, with 111 space-startups registered, as on date, on the IN-SPACe digital platform.\
It may be recalled that the result of such revolutionary reforms is the heaviest commercial launch by India in the form of LVM3, carrying 36 Oneweb satellites on 23rd October, 2022, followed by the pathbreaking and historic launch of India’s maiden private Vikram-suborbital (VKS) rocket developed by M/s Skyroot Aerospace Private Limited, Hyderabad on 18th November, 2022 by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
