India To Ensure Space Sector Unites World: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched the Indian Space Association (ISpA), an industry body aspiring to be the voice of the country's space sector, and underlined his dispensation's commitment to reforms, saying the country never had a more decisive government.

He stated that the space sector unites the world. "India will have to ensure that space plays an important role in uniting, connecting the world in the 21st century," he said.

He said that reforms in the space sector are based on four pillars: freedom of innovation to the private sector, the government's role as an enabler, preparing the youth for the future, and seeing the space sector as a tool for the development of the common man.

PM Modi added that earlier the space sector was only limited to the government. However, "we changed that mindset and introduced innovations in the field. We brought the government and startups together because it is not the time for linear innovation but exponential innovation."

The ISpA will undertake policy advocacy and engage with all stakeholders in the Indian space domain, including the government and its agencies, the government has said.

The ISpA founding members include Larson & Toubro, Nelco (Tata Group), OneWeb, Bharti Airtel, Mapmyindia, Walchandnagar Industries, and Ananth Technology Limited.

Other core members include Godrej, Hughes India, Azista-BST Aerospace Private Limited, BEL, Centum Electronics, and Maxar India.