Indian space industry must be given a fillip to make the country future-ready for space. It will be good, both for India’s standing and its economy

India's space programme has come a long way and has catapulted India to the world stage. Space technology ushers in possibilities for the future which are huge and varied, and some of these possibilities are yet to be explored. Few would understand that India's success in space technology enhances possibilities of trade and the earning of foreign exchange by providing services that are intrinsic to excellence in this domain. The private players have started playing an important role in bringing it to a level where it can be the leverage India requires for setting a benchmark for the world. 

Certain joint endeavours by private and public players have given rise to exceptional dividends in the last year. The successful launch of 72 satellites by OneWeb through ISRO has boosted the broadband internet services in the country. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) has worked to enable and facilitate the participation of private players in the space domain. The Indian Space Association, set up for the collaborative development of the private space industry in India facilitated the launch of India's first private rocket by Skyroot Aerospace and the establishment of the Mission Control Centre by Agnikul Cosmos. The launch of the world’s first commercial Space Weather Monitoring System by Digantra, the launch by ISRO of Anand hyperspectral satellite of Pixal, and the collaborative effort of L&T and HAL to improve the efficiency of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle are some of the giant leaps in space technology that will help India to bring in a lot of foreign exchange in the days to come. ISRO, through its commercial arms, has already earned

$279 million in foreign exchange by launching satellites for global clients, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. According to the Director General of the Indian Space Association, the launch of the Shakuntla constellation by Pixxel has bolstered India's Earth observation capabilities and will help in agriculture, disaster management, and environmental monitoring. The launch of commercial satellites by India of friendly foreign countries is sure to boost India's clout, not only as a regional player in Asia but also globally. This collaborative effort of the private and public sectors is bound to give dividends economically and also usher in prosperity amongst humanity in general.

Can the space program help humanity? Is it the bird's eye view we have been talking about for almost all the humanitarian challenges that exist? Let's face it, humanity faces challenges of resources, and among them, energy is one of the most critical. So can space exploration in the long run help humanity to solve the crisis of a resource crunch, including that of energy? The possibility for the same is huge, and so is the possibility of Indian Industry making it big in the decades to come. It is estimated that thousands of satellites would be required to be sent into space if the requirement of humanity is to be met. Over 100 satellites have been launched solely for monitoring the Earth’s atmosphere. 

Helium-3 is one moon resource that could potentially be cheaper to mine from the moon. Helium-3 is a very attractive fuel for future nuclear fusion reactors. If this becomes possible in the future it could solve a lot of clean energy-related issues that humanity faces today. It could also unlock a lot of economic value for the Indian Space Industry in the future. Lunar resources could also be used to help build up an industrial infrastructure in near-Earth space in the future. Satellites provide accurate weather reports which also help to track increasing rates of climate change and its effects, such as rising seas, moisture levels, and incidents of floods, wildfires, and atmospheric changes; helping us stop deforestation. Satellites cover the entire globe enabling high-capacity connectivity over wide & hard-to-reach areas including deserts, mountain ranges, islands, rainforests, or wetlands. Around fifty per cent of illegal mining activities can be monitored from space only. Ninety-nine per cent of weather forecasts can be from space alone. Space technology provides information regarding water and food production, precision irrigation and farming techniques. The direct economic impact of the sector is important, but it is the indirect impact that highlights how critical space is going to be for our life on Earth. The UN has been urging for use of space technology to attain sustainable development goals. 

The private sector and public sector milieu in the Indian context are best suited to exploit these opportunities in the future. Private players that are into satellite communication, GPS technology, surveillance, and disaster management are likely to benefit most from advancements in space technology. The Indian Space Industry would also be required to collaborate and work towards the transfer of technology with players in countries like the United States and France to enhance the scope of their achievements in space. The calmness and maturity of the public sector, along with the dynamism and initiative of the private sector, when invested in the development of space technology can for sure help in solving some of the challenges confronting humanity today. We are at an inflection point from where the Indian Space Industry is only destined to go up, and this is going to increase India's clout in the international community many fold.

(The writer is an expert on geopolitics and international Affairs. The views expressed are personal)