Space Reforms Won't Sideline ISRO, Says IN-SPACe Chairman
IN-SPACe chief Pawan Goenka says ISRO's role is not diminishing as private firms scale up, with the agency focusing on advanced research.
As India's space sector opens up to greater private participation, concerns have emerged among ISRO staff about the agency's future relevance. Addressing these worries, IN-SPACe Chairman Pawan Goenka has offered a clear reassurances: ISRO's role is "by no means diminishing."
Goenka's remarks come against the backdrop of sweeping reforms that have allowed private companies to design, build, and launch satellites, as well as offer end-to-end space services. While this expansion is intended to boost the country's commercial space ecosystem, it has also sparked internal questions about whether ISRO's traditional responsibilities would be diluted.
The Chairman clarified that the reform process is not a zero-sum game. Instead, it is designed to create a complementary structure where private firms take on routine and scalable operations, freeing ISRO to concentrate on advanced research, deep-space missions, and the development of next-generation technologies.
This division of labour, Goenka indicated, would allow the national agency to push the boundaries of space science while the private sector handles the growing demand for launch services and satellite applications. The message to ISRO's workforce is that their expertise and institutional knowledge remain central to India's long-term space ambitions, even as the ecosystem around them evolves.