India's space program advances through milestones, international collaboration, technology, and private sector growth, positioning India as a global leader in space exploration and sustainable development by 2047.

Why in the News?

Recently, Lok Sabha held a special discussion on Critical Role of the Space Programme for Viksit Bharat by 2047.

More on the News

The discussion highlighted that Space experiments conducted by Subhanshu Shukla personify India as Vishwabandhu Bharat (global friend).
- Subhanshu Shukla travelled to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) Mission.
- He is India's first astronaut aboard the ISS and only the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma in 1984.

Critical Role of Space Programme/Technology

Space programme/Technology will play a pivotal role in addressing India's critical challenges while simultaneously unlocking new opportunities for growth and development

Sector/Sphere	Current Challenges	Space-based Solutions
Agriculture & Food Security	Erratic monsoons due to climate change; low farm productivity; poor crop forecasting	INSAT-3D/3DR provide weather forecasting; Resourcesat supports crop monitoring and yield estimation
Infrastructure	Lack of integrated planning; delays in project implementation	PM Gati Shakti uses ISRO imagery & spatial tools to integrate projects like Bharatmala, Sagarmala, railways, etc.
Disaster Management	High vulnerability to floods, cyclones, landslides, earthquakes, forest fires	ISRO's Disaster Management Support (DMS) Programme enables real-time monitoring, early warning, and post-disaster assessment
Security & Defence	Border surveillance gaps; communication vulnerabilities; emerging space threats	GSAT-7 & RISAT strengthen secure communication & surveillance; Mission Shakti (2019) demonstrated anti-satellite capability
Strategic Autonomy	Dependence on US GPS for navigation	NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) provides indigenous navigation services
Climate Change & Environment	Deforestation, glacier retreat, land degradation, ocean warming	NISAR (NASA-ISRO mission) will study land & ice deformation, ecosystems, and oceans
Healthcare Delivery	Limited access to healthcare in remote areas	ISRO's Telemedicine Project
Education	Rural-urban education divide; limited digital learning infrastructure	EDUSAT provides distance learning & educational broadcasting
Transparency & Accountability	Leakages & poor monitoring in welfare schemes	Geo-tagging of MGNREGA assets ensures accountability and transparency
Water Management	Depletion of groundwater; poor watershed planning	Bhuvan–SRISHTI Geoportal enables monitoring of Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) projects

How progress in Space Sector makes India Vishwabandhu?

India's Space Milestones 1962: INCOSPAR formed under Department of Atomic Energy 1969: ISRO established 1975: Aryabhata, India's first satellite, launched 1980: SLV-3 successfully places Rohini RS-1 in orbit 2008: Chandrayaan-1 launched 2013: Mars Orbiter Mission launched 2023: Chandrayaan-3 lands successfully on the Moon 2025: Indian astronaut reached ISS (Axiom Mission-4)

Global Collaboration: NISAR is termed "India's scientific handshake with the world", symbolizing international collaboration by adhering to global standards for docking and interoperability.
Regional Leadership and Support: In 2017 launched South Asia Satellite (GSAT-9) for the South Asian region (except Pakistan).
- Neighbouring countries which fall within the NavIC service area can use NavIC services.
Sharing Technology, Expertise, & Data for Universal Benefit: E.g., Chandrayaan-3 datasets are available on PRADAN (Policy based data Retrieval, Analytics, Dissemination and Notification system) for the scientific community.
Capacity Building Initiatives: Programs like UNNATI (UNispace Nanosatellite Assembly & Training by ISRO) offer international training on nanosatellite development.
Cost-Effectiveness & Reliability: E.g., Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) was most economical interplanetary mission in the world and paved way for cost-effective access to deep space.
- Over 400 satellites for 34 nations have been launched on India's launch vehicles.
Responsible Space Player: India's Debris-Free Space Missions (DFSM) initiative, aiming for all Indian space missions to be debris-free by 2030, demonstrates a commitment to ensuring a safe, secure, and sustainable outer space for future generations.
Humanitarian Aid: ISRO is member of the COSPAS–SARSAT, an international satellite-based search and rescue (SAR) system.

Recent policy intervention for the rapid development in space sector

India Space Policy 2023: Policy was launched to pursue a holistic approach by encouraging and promoting greater private sector participation in the entire value chain of the Space Economy.
FDI and Startup Ecosystem: The amended Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy allows up to 100% FDI in manufacturing components for space systems under the automatic route.
- This progressive environment has fueled the growth of over 300 space startups in recent years, significantly boosting innovation
New Institutional Framework: NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) acts as ISRO's commercial arm, promoting and commercializing its products and services and enabling industries to undertake high-tech space activities.
- The Indian National Space Promotion & Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) serves as a single-window facilitator for private sector participation in all space activities, from launches to orbital slot filings and data dissemination.

Conclusion

India's space programme is a driver of national growth, global cooperation, and sustainable development. With clear milestones such as establishing the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) by 2035 and launching a crewed lunar mission by 2040, India is steadily positioning itself as a leader in space exploration. By combining innovation, inclusivity, and international collaboration, India's space journey embodies the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.