Private participation not at the cost of ISRO’s capabilities: Staff in fresh note

Private participation in the space sector must not weaken Indian Space Research Organisation’s own capabilities, nor should the technologies and facilities developed by it be transferred to private parties at “throwaway prices”, a group of employee associations of ISRO has asserted in a fresh statement on the ongoing debate over the role of private companies in the country’s space sector.

These associations first flagged their concerns in a letter to ISRO chairman on September 4, a day after the successful launch of GSLV-F17 mission. In that letter, they sought a series of clarifications on ISRO’s role in the future, particularly in view of reports that the agency was being readied to focus its energies only on a few strategic missions, while ceding rest of the space to private companies.

That letter prompted ISRO Chairman V Narayanan to state there was no move to privatise the agency, and it would continue to build and strengthen capabilities as it partners with private sector to expand space economy. He later addressed ISRO employees in a video-conference to allay concerns.

In their fresh statement, the employee associations reiterated that it was not against private sector participation, but this should not come at the cost of ISRO’s own capabilities. “We are not opposed to private participation in the space sector. Indian industry, Public Sector Units and start-ups have an important role in expanding India’s space ecosystem. But private participation must strengthen national capability, not weaken ISRO’s core functions,” said a note from the Joint Action Council (JAC) of various employee associations. The undated note was issued and circulated among ISRO staff  on Thursday. The Indian Express obtained a copy of note and confirmed its veracity from two serving employees. Attempts to get an official response from ISRO were not fruitful. The four-page note flags ISRO’s capabilities have been built on public money, and could not become “ source of private profit without adequate return to the nation”.

“There must be a level-playing field, transparency and accountability. Technology developed with public money cannot become a source of private profit (making) without an adequate return to the nation. Public wealth cannot be transferred at throwaway prices or treated as a freebie for private entities,” the JAC note said.

The note said there was a legitimate need to increase number of mission launches and this could not be achieved without private players. This did not mean mature technologies developed by ISRO are all transferred to entities. It mentioned two advanced rocket systems — the LVM3 and the under-development NGLV — and said these must remain with ISRO— “ISRO must retain the complete chain of capability-from research and development to realisation, integration, testing and launch”.