The Aakhya Weekly #115 | Pedals to Planets- India’s Stellar Leap into Global Space Diplomacy
In Focus: India’s Space Odyssey From Bicycles to the Stars
by Swapneel Thakur
From listening to Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon to witnessing our nation become the first to land on the Moon's South Pole, we have all shared a sense of pride and excitement as India showcases the aspirations of the Global South in space exploration on the world stage. From ISRO's humble beginnings to its current global acclaim for innovation, India now stands alongside countries like Russia, the US, and China as a nation with bold space ambitions.
Over the past two decades, ISRO has completed over 60 space missions, earning global recognition for landmark projects like the Chandrayaan 1, Mangalyaan, and Aditya L-1. At a time when many developing nations have been courting foreign direct investment (FDI) in traditional sectors, India has distinguished itself by fully liberalising its space sector for FDI. This move intends to fuel innovation and boost domestic production in satellite manufacturing, launch vehicles, and related systems, positioning India as a frontrunner in space exploration and industry development.
This recent rise in India’s space exploration can often push many to ask – What does India intend to achieve? The space, unlike semiconductors or oil, is not known to have a direct contribution to major economic sectors or enhance the ease of living. For a country with 1.2 billion people, many may wonder, should space exploration be a primary priority or an adjacent? This edition of Aakhya Weekly delves deep into India’s space ambitions and aims to define what many experts have considered the dawn of Indian Space Diplomacy.
Building a nation with self-reliance
Experts view successful diplomatic efforts as a careful balance between national and international priorities. For a vast country like India, developing last-mile communication networks has been central to its space ambitions. Space technologies play a crucial role in weather forecasting, which supports agriculture, fisheries, and disaster preparedness, and enables e-commerce, e-banking, telemedicine, tele-education, and satellite communications in remote areas. From the visionary leadership of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai in the 1960s to today’s Indian space scientists, building effective communication satellites has remained a key priority in advancing these essential services.
This focus first led to the development of the INSAT series, now one of the largest domestic multipurpose satellite systems in the Asia-Pacific region. India’s journey began with the launch of INSAT-B in 1983, which transformed television broadcasting, satellite newsgathering, weather forecasting, disaster warnings, and search-and-rescue missions. Today, the INSAT system includes over 200 transponders across C, Extended C, and Ku frequency bands, with 167 transponders available for broadcasters, many serving multi-purpose roles, demonstrating the system’s versatility.
In addition to communication satellites, India prioritised supporting agriculture, fisheries, and disaster preparedness remote sensing or Earth observation satellites. ISRO started with IRS-1A and expanded to 13 operational satellites in sun-synchronous orbits, including the RESOURCESAT and CARTOSAT series, and geostationary satellites like the INSAT series and Kalpana. These satellites, equipped with advanced cameras, capture images of Earth in various resolutions, bands, and swaths, further enhancing India’s space-based decision-making.
Standing as a Scientific Alternative in South Asia
Amidst advancements in satellite technology, India recognised the importance of developing its own Satellite Launch Vehicles (SLVs), a journey that began in the 1970s. After its first successful launch in 1980, India focused on creating more powerful launch vehicles capable of carrying heavier payloads. By the 1990s, ISRO had made significant progress, introducing the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle (GSLV) programs. The PSLV has completed nearly 50 missions, including the prestigious Chandrayaan-1 mission.
The PSLV also provided India with a platform to collaborate with like-minded nations in space exploration. With its indigenous SLV capabilities, India led the Chandrayaan-1 mission, which carried 11 scientific payloads from countries such as the US, UK, Germany, Sweden, and Bulgaria. This mission earned global recognition for discovering water molecules on the Moon and developing a cost-effective satellite carrier. The PSLV became a critical vehicle for Indian space endeavours, contributing to the success of both Mangalyaan and Chandrayaan-3.
India's scientific advancements garnered significant acclaim from global leaders in space exploration and scientific discovery. However, China made strides in space exploration during this period, collaborating on several projects with Pakistan. While Mangalyaan and Chandrayaan were not part of ISRO's original vision, the development of indigenous capabilities became essential. These efforts positioned India as a credible alternative in the South Asian region, offering a reliable partner for space exploration to like-minded nations.
Indian Space Diplomacy: Innovation and Preservation
To meet its national objectives and strategic priorities, India's space diplomacy combined scientific collaboration with economic policy initiatives. A key turning point was the liberalisation of India's space sector, which enabled the growing private sector to invest in and leverage the country's wealth of scientific talent. This move not only opened doors for international companies to enter the Indian space market but also fostered the growth of numerous Indian startups in cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad. The private sector benefited from a large pool of space experts, and many were nurtured by ISRO’s efforts and graduates from prestigious institutions such as the IITs and the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) in Kerala. Additionally, the initiative encouraged the return of Indian science and technology graduates from abroad, addressing concerns about brain drain and promoting innovation through global expertise. This policy also facilitated domestic manufacturing of space technologies for private companies, boosting investment and creating employment opportunities for young graduates across the country.
As a leader in economically sustainable space exploration, India is now at the centre of global interest, with many nations seeking its expertise. Recently, space cooperation was a key topic during discussions between India and Brunei as part of the Prime Minister's visit, emphasising a long-standing agreement on telemetry tracking and command station initiatives. India has also made significant strides in space diplomacy through engagements with countries such as the US, Philippines, France, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Chile, and Nepal. Notably, India became a member of the Artemis Accords last year, further cementing its role in global space partnerships. The announcement of the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission has sparked interest from countries including Australia, Russia, the US, and France. On September 19, 2024, the Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the development of the first module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS-1), marking a major step toward India launching its space station by 2035 and aiming for a manned mission to the moon by 2040. With only two operational space stations currently— the International Space Station and China’s Tiangong Station—BAS will become one of the few active stations in space, opening up opportunities for collaboration with countries still in the early stages of developing indigenous space technologies.
India’s space journey has evolved remarkably, from the humble beginnings of transporting rocket components on a bicycle to launching heavy payloads for numerous countries. Today, India's space program stands at the forefront of global attention, with the capability to launch its space station. This progress has made Indian space diplomacy a source of national pride and a key component in the "Viksit Bharat 2047" vision, positioning the country as a rising power on the world stage.
Top Stories of the Week
AB PM-JAY Expands Coverage for All Aged 70 & Above
The Union Cabinet has approved an extension of health coverage under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) to all senior citizens aged 70 and above, irrespective of their income status. This decision aims to benefit approximately 6 crore senior citizens across 4.5 crore families, providing each with a health insurance cover of ₹5 lakh per year.
Under this expanded scheme, eligible senior citizens will receive a new AB PM-JAY card. Those already covered under the scheme will receive an additional top-up of up to ₹5 lakh per year specifically for themselves, separate from the family cover for members below 70 years of age. All other senior citizens will get a cover up to ₹5 lakh per year on a family basis.
Moreover, senior citizens aged 70 and above who are beneficiaries of other public health insurance schemes such as the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), or Ayushman Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) can either continue with their existing scheme or opt for AB PM-JAY. Those with private health insurance policies or Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) are also eligible for benefits under AB PM-JAY.
This extension will ensure that all senior citizens, regardless of socio-economic status, have access to essential health services under the world’s largest publicly funded health assurance scheme. AB PM-JAY already covers 55 crore individuals across 12.34 crore families, providing ₹5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. Since its inception, the scheme has facilitated 7.37 crore hospital admissions, benefiting nearly 49% of women.
Cabinet Approves ₹9,197 Crore Bio-RIDE Scheme
The Union Cabinet has approved the ₹9,197 crore Bio-RIDE scheme, marking a significant advancement in India's biotechnology sector. This initiative aligns with India's broader strategy to enhance its global position in biomanufacturing and biotechnology by 2030.
Biotechnology, leveraging biological systems and organisms to develop products and technologies, is pivotal across diverse domains, including medicine, agriculture, and environmental management. The Bio-RIDE scheme, spanning the 15th Finance Commission period (2021-22 to 2025-26), integrates two existing programs under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) into a unified framework. It focuses on three primary areas: Biotechnology Research and Development (R&D), Industrial & Entrepreneurship Development (I&ED), and Biomanufacturing and Biofoundry.
The scheme aims to stimulate innovation and support bio-entrepreneurship by offering seed funding, incubation support, and mentorship to startups, thus facilitating the growth of new biotech ventures. It seeks to bridge the divide between academic research and industrial application by fostering collaboration among educational institutions, research organisations, and industries. A key feature of Bio-RIDE is its focus on sustainable biomanufacturing practices in line with India’s green goals under the 'Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE)' initiative. The program targets critical areas such as synthetic biology, biopharmaceuticals, bioenergy, and bioplastics to develop a skilled workforce and address significant healthcare, agriculture, and environmental sustainability challenges.
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