New Delhi
As India observes National Space Day on August 23, experts have said the next phase of growth will extend beyond launches and satellites, with downstream applications, private participation and satellite-based services expected to become major drivers.
Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt, Director General of the Indian Space Association, said India’s private space ecosystem had travelled a distance and was converting technological capabilities into market opportunities.
He said the country was emerging as a full-stack space economy, with strengths across launch systems, satellite infrastructure and downstream applications.
Bhatt pointed to recent achievements by private space companies as evidence that Indian firms can develop technologies at globally competitive levels. He said the progress was sending a positive signal to investors and international partners about the sector’s ability to execute and scale.
He attributed the transformation to a public-private partnership combining ISRO’s technological expertise, policy and regulatory reforms, and the capabilities of a new generation of private companies.
Krishanu Acharya, CEO and Co-Founder of Suhora Technologies, said India’s private space story had traditionally focused on rockets and launch vehicles, but downstream applications could become a more sustainable growth engine.
He said the growing number of satellites would create raw data, making the ability to convert that information into usable insights increasingly important.
Acharya said downstream companies could help India develop expertise in analytics and applications based on space data, allowing the country to compete globally.
Gautam Sharma, Managing Director of Viasat India, highlighted the government and ISRO’s role in building an ecosystem through public-private partnerships.
