India’s space ambition gets a local lift-off

States are emerging as critical partners in India’s space journey, driving specialisation, private innovation, and long-term mission readiness.

- PUNAM SINGH

India’s space programme, once characterised by a centralised national effort, is undergoing a structural transformation marked by increased collaboration. Led by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the country is now developing a decentralised space ecosystem, with individual states emerging as active participants. This shift, guided by the Indian Space Policy 2023, supports ISRO’s long-term objectives, including the establishment of a space station by 2035 and a human mission to the Moon by 2040.

From early launches involving rudimentary methods to the successful soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon's South Pole, ISRO has pursued a trajectory of self-reliance and innovation. With the recent opening of the space sector to private enterprises, the current emphasis is on harnessing collective capabilities. The Indian Space Policy 2023 outlines the framework for this transition, seeking to enable commercial activity in the space sector and strengthen India’s position in the global space economy.

STATES TAKE FLIGHT: A NEW FRONTIER

The national momentum in the space sector is being mirrored at the state level, with states such as Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Kerala formulating their SpaceTech policies. These are not simple extensions of the central agenda but regionspecific strategies aimed at leveraging local capabilities to create specialised hubs.

The Director General of the Indian Space Association, Lt Gen Anil Kumar Bhatt (Retd.) notes that the implications of these state-level initiatives are significant. “The most important aspect is financial support or incentives, which these policies are beginning to offer,” he states.