Hours after the Centre announced giving the private sector a role in India's space programme, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Saturday asserted that it will enable private players to carry out space activities in the country.
Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, the ISRO said, "Department of Space will follow Government guidelines and enable Private players to carry out space activities in the country."
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the private sector will play a role in India's space programme, including in satellites, launches and space-based services. "Indian private sector will be a co-traveller in India's space activities," she said. For boosting private participation in space activities, the government will provide a level playing field for private companies in satellites, launches and space-based services.
Department of Space will follow Government guidelines and enable Private players to carry out space activities in the country.
— ISRO (@isro) May 16, 2020
Also, the government will provide a predictable policy and regulatory environment to private players, she said while announcing the fourth tranche of the economic stimulus package. The private sector will be allowed to use ISRO facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capacities.
Future projects for planetary exploration and outer space travel would be open for the private sector, she said, adding liberal geospatial data policy will provide remote sensing data to tech-entrepreneurs.
In her fourth press conference in as many days, she said the focus of the fourth stimulus would be coal, minerals, defence production, civil aviation sector, power distribution companies in Union Territories, space sector and atomic energy sector.
She said steps taken during the recent past include fast track investment clearance through an empowered group of secretaries. Project development cell has been set up in each ministry to prepare investable projects and coordinate with investors and central/state government.
