Space sector reforms not aimed at privatising ISRO: Chairman K Sivan

recently anunced sector reforms are t aimed at privatisation of Indian Research Organisation (ISRO), its Chairman and Secretary in Department of , K Sivan asserted on Thursday.

ncy also stated that draft on proposed activity bill is almost final and it will soon be placed before Union Cabinet for approval.

"When sector reforms were anunced by government re were many misconceptions like it would le to privatisation of ISRO. It is t. Again and again I'm repeating it is t privatisation of ISRO," Sivan said.

dressing a webinar on "Unlocking of India's Potential in Sector," he said whole aim of reforms is enabling private players to carry out activities which is orwise being done by ISRO.

"In fact, activities of ISRO are going to increase and ISRO will be able to better utilise its resources in taking up developmental as well as capacity building activities of government, rar than routine production activity," he ded.

Union Cabinet on June 24 approved participation of private sector in entire range of activities, including planetary exploration missions.

It h said, newly-created Indian National Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-) will provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian infrastructure, by hand-holding industries in activities through encouraging policies and a friendly regulatory environment.

Also, New India Limited (NSIL), a PSU under Department of , will endeavour to re-orient activities from a "supply driven" model to a "demand driven" model, reby ensuring optimum utilisation of our assets, it h said.

ting that sector reform introduced by government is going to be a "real game changer", Sivan said private sector participation in sector has been increasing worldwide and it is a healthy trend, as it increases diversity.

In India too sector startups are taking developmental activities in both launch vehicles as well as in satellites, he said.

However, re was mechanism available in country to extend techlogy and infrastructure support to m.

Also re was regulatory mechanism to control private sector activities, so an institutional mechanism has been created as part of reform.

webinar was attended by Principal Scientific visor to government of India K Vijay Raghavan, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra, Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil B Mittal among ors.

Furr observing that with opening of sector, ISRO can focus on techlogy development and capacity building Sivan said in dition to that it will also facilitate private sector participation in major national missions through anuncement of opportunity.

However, private sector will have to do ir own research and development activities, business viability studies, funding as well as finding customers for ir services, he said.

Pointing out that import of communication satellites is w in embargo list under 'Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan', ISRO Chief said re will be a need for large number of communication satellites to be launched in immediate future and this could be a huge opportunity for ISRO and also for private sector.

Launching a small satellite is ar area where re is a huge projected demand and some startups are interacting with ISRO at an vanced st and may launch very soon.

According to ISRO officials, more than 500 industries are currently involved in activities such as production of components and more than 80 per cent of launch vehicle and 60 per cent of craft budget is spent on industry.

Scientific Secretary to ISRO, R Uma Maheshwaran said participation of private sector in end-end activities is definitely a strategy to expand ecomy.

ting that private sector is much er w, he said a lot of people are coming forward to make launch vehicles, and satellites and providing based services.

Uma Maheshwaran also said a mechanism is required regarding indulgence of private sector and for this, enactment of activity bill is a primary requisite.

"It (bill) is almost in its final shape w, we have presented it to Ministry (PMO) for inter-ministerial consultation and we feel that very soon it will be approved by Cabinet and presented to Parliament for making it an act.

This is mandatory as India is signatory to outer treaty," he ded.

Vijay Raghavan, ting a lack of risk capital for industry to sufficiently invest in R&D, said risk needs to be mitigated and for this combination of talent and material resources, partnering with industry is needed.

opening of sector in India will have its impact globally, and also all sectors in India, he said ding that ".. this is an opportunity to increase volume and quality in extraordinary ways." Suggesting that may well become new "gold rush", Anand Mahindra said though India has an established and credible programme, its share of market is miniscule and he was sure that beginning w it will change with entry of private sector.

"... it is our opportunity to level playing field, by leveraging our competitive vants and we have to seize it w," he said, while mitting that industry and private sector are often "uneasy bedfellows", but we have to make se reforms work as it is best way forward".

Sunil Mittal stressed on need for policy on participation of private sector in programme to be "light-touch" but said it should be very strong on security, foreign policy aspects and some of guidelines need to be very clear so that industry participants kw how to operate within policy framework.

(Photo Credit: PTI)