Prime Minister, Narendra Modi inaugurated the headquarters of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) at Bopal, Ahmedabad. The programme also witnessed the exchange of MoUs between IN-SPACe and private sector companies working in the field of space-based applications and services.
The promotion and enabling of private entities in the space sector will provide a major fillip to the space sector and open up new vistas of opportunity for India’s talented youth. Union Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister of Gujarat Bhupendrabhai Patel and representatives of the space industry were among those present on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that a wonderful chapter has been added in the development journey of modern India in the 21st century and congratulated all the countrymen, and the scientific community for the headquarters of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center i.e. IN-SPACe. The Prime Minister termed the launch of IN-SPACe as a ‘watch this space’ moment for the Indian space industry as it is a precursor to many development and opportunities.
He said “IN-SPACe will give an opportunity to the youth of India to showcase their talent to the best minds of India. Whether they are working in the government or in the private sector, IN-SPACe will create great opportunities for all.” The Prime Minister further elaborated “IN-SPACe has the potential to revolutionize India’s space industry. So this is what I would say – ‘Watch this space’. IN-SPACe is for space, IN-SPACe is for pace, and IN-SPACe is for ace.”
The Prime Minister said that for a very long time, the private sector in the space industry has been viewed merely as a vendor, a system that always blocked the ways of progress for the private sector in the industry. The Prime Minister said only big ideas make winners. By reforming the space sector, freeing it from all restrictions, by supporting the private industry through IN-SPACe, the country is starting a campaign to make winners today.
The private sector will not just remain a vendor but will play the role of a big winner in the space sector. When the strength of government space institutions and the passion of India’s private sector will meet, not even the sky will be the limit, the Prime Minister added.
“Space-tech is about to become the basis of a major revolution in the 21st century. Space-tech is now going to become a technology not only of distant space but of our personal space”, the Prime Minister pointed out. He said that IN-SPACe needs to work continuously for making the gains of space technology accessible to the people of the country.
The Prime Minister said that data collected by the private space companies is going to give them huge power in future. He said that the global space industry is valued at 400 billion US dollars and has a potential to become a 1 trillion dollar industry by 2040. He emphasized that India needs to increase its share in the global space industry and the private sector will play a big role in that.
