Now Reading: IN-SPACe overreach threatens ISRO’s future, says former chief
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IN-SPACe overreach threatens ISRO’s future, says former chief
Former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair has accused the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) of acting beyond its mandate by calling bids for ISRO's rockets and infrastructure. In an…
The Story in Brief
Former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair has accused the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) of acting beyond its mandate by calling bids for ISRO's rockets and infrastructure. In an interview with The Federal, Nair said IN-SPACe, the regulator for private space players, is encroaching on the domains of ISRO and NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL).
Nair noted that soon after every major ISRO milestone, such as the 1994 PSLV success and the 2008 Chandrayaan-1 mission, controversies have surfaced. He warned that transferring dual-use rocket technologies without a proper legal framework is risky, as India still lacks a space law. Nair also pointed out that the nuclear sector has kept its regulator separate from commercial operations, unlike the current space setup.
The Indian Opinion
The charge by G Madhavan Nair that IN-SPACe is overstepping into ISRO's domain raises a legitimate governance question. Watching a regulator invite bids for the very rockets and port that ISRO built feels like the tail wagging the dog. However, the government's push to open space to private players is not wrong in principle. The real test is whether India enacts a space law soon, with clear firewalls between the maker, the seller and the regulator. Without that, every successful mission may indeed invite the next controversy.
Source: thefederal.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
