Bengaluru: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is not being privatised, its chairman Dr V Narayanan has said, assuring employees that their concerns over the government’s expanding private sector push in the space sector would be addressed.
He responded to concerns raised by sections of ISRO’s workforce, including employee associations that have sought an official clarification on government policy regarding the future role of the organisation, while speaking on the sidelines of the Bengaluru Space Expo.
“The space sector reform was rolled out six years back. As per that, we are supposed to handhold the private sector and grow the space ecosystem,” Narayanan said.
Private industry has long played an important role in India’s space programme and the manufacturing of launch vehicles was already supported by hundreds of Indian companies, the chairman stressed.
“Whenever a PSLV or a GSLV is lifting off, don’t think that everything is done by ISRO. Almost 80% of the budget is invested by Indian industries. Around 450 industries are working for us,” he said.
There is growing debate over the government’s efforts to increase private sector participation in India’s space ecosystem. Employee associations from key ISRO centres have reportedly sought clarity on what the policy changes could mean for the organisation’s role, its workforce, recruitment and ability to retain core capabilities.
India was aiming to significantly increase its launch capacity, with the country’s requirement estimated at around 50 launch vehicles a year, Narayanan said.
Meeting such a target would require a much larger ecosystem involving both ISRO and Indian industry, he indicated.
“The country’s requirement is around 50 launch vehicles per year,” Narayanan said, as reported by India Today.
Categorically rejecting suggestions that ISRO is being privatised, he said: “Isro is not privatised.”
When asked for a written clarification, the chairman said it would not be appropriate to issue an official written response simply because one or two individuals or groups had submitted a letter.
“We are 20,000 employees. But we will address the employees,” he said.
His remarks are the latest effort by the ISRO leadership to reassure its workforce that the growing role of private companies is intended to expand India’s overall space ecosystem rather than diminish the role of the country’s national space agency.