Experts call for higher launch frequency, private role in space sector

HYDERABAD

India must now shift focus from showcasing technological capability to building scale in space activities through larger satellite constellations, higher launch frequency and greater private participation, former ISRO Chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar said on Friday.

He was speaking at the third edition of a symposium held at T-Hub, Hyderabad, which brought together leaders in space, defence and strategic affairs for a discussion on “The Day the Sky Goes Dark: Warfare in the Age of Satellite Dependence.”

“Our technological achievements are unquestioned. The question now is about building capacity — volume,” Mr. Kiran Kumar said, underlining the need for private players to step in to deliver scale. “There is significant scope and an urgent need for greater industry participation,” he added.

Former DRDO Chairman G. Satheesh Reddy highlighted the organisation’s increasing engagement with industry. “DRDO is significantly moving to build capabilities of systems and sub-systems through the private sector. We will continue to focus on research and frontier capabilities,” he said, adding that India was emerging as a significant exporter of weapon systems. “India’s technology standing is ahead of where most people think it is,” he noted.

Chairman and Managing Director of Ananth Technologies Subba Rao Pavuluri stressed the need for sustained orders and capital investment to unlock the potential of the private space ecosystem. “The ecosystem is already present. What is required now is steady orders and meaningful capital infusion,” he said, arguing that satellites should be integrated into weapon systems rather than treated as specialised assets.

Founder of TakeMe2Space, Ronak Kumar Samantray underscored the importance of launch capability at scale. “We need more rockets. India cannot rely solely on ISRO and SpaceX for deploying India-built satellites. The race belongs to those who can sustain a launch cadence,” he said.

A key theme emerging from the discussion was that while India has demonstrated world-class capabilities in space, there is a need to scale up capacity. Participants also highlighted the need for policy support, procurement reforms and stronger launch infrastructure. Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari (Retd.), former Chief of Air Staff, was on the panel.

Iniya Pragati, a 13-year-old commercial astronaut candidate and India’s youngest analogue astronaut, Special Chief Secretary Jayesh Ranjan, and several senior officials, including former IPS officer Goutam Sawang, Director General (Vigilance & Enforcement) D.S. Chauhan, former Chief Secretary of Telangana S.K. Joshi, and senior IPS officer V.K. Singh, were among those who attended the event.