Industry Leaders on National Space Day

National Space Day in India commemorates the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon.

Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt (retd.), Director General, Indian Space Association (ISpA)

Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt (Retd.)

“As we celebrate the first anniversary of Chandrayaan-3’s successful landing and the first-ever National Space Day, it’s essential to reflect on the remarkable milestones that have shaped India’s space industry over the years. The private space sector in India with support from the government and ISRO has witnessed a meteoric rise with the surge in startups and investments in the last few years. For the formation of a strong bedrock for India’s thriving space industry, initiatives like the new comprehensive Space Policy, setting up of IN-SPACe, reforms like liberalised FDI regulations and the New Telecom Act allocating spectrum by administrative method have already given much needed kickstart to the private industry. We really look forward to the continuity of policy reforms and further momentum towards ironing the remaining bottlenecks to enable private space industry to take on more responsibility in building and supporting India’s contribution to the global space economy. Such reforms will be instrumental in fostering a vibrant and competitive space ecosystem, paving the way for India’s continued leadership in space exploration. While space exploration, scientific research, and ambitious missions to the Moon and Mars are led by governments globally, India is no exception with ISRO at the lead, and contributions from the private sector is also set to increase in the coming decade. We are confident that more space companies will contribute towards developing capabilities to be part of the lunar economy of the future.”

Agendra Kumar, Managing Director, Esri India

“The successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3 mission has placed India among an elite group of space-faring nations. The accomplishments of being the fourth nation to land on the surface of the Moon, and the first to land near the south pole of the Moon, have been phenomenal, encouraging us to focus on creating a robust space infrastructure and delve deeper into space science and its applications. Earth science data is crucial for enhancing data-driven scientific research, developing effective action plans for mitigating climate change and natural disasters, and educating the next generation to be well-prepared for environmental changes. Additionally, there is a growing need for Earth science data to be in GIS-ready formats for easy integration and analysis. At Esri India, we are working with ISRO, and several State Remote Sensing & Space Applications Centres to facilitate this, so that informed decisions can be taken at all levels, leading to more effective outcomes.”