ISRO won’t be ‘diminished’, says IN-SPACe chairman - The Hindu

**ISRO’s Core Mission Remains Intact, Says IN‑SPACe Chairman**

New Delhi – In a press briefing on Tuesday, Dr. K. Sivan, chairman of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN‑SPACe), categorically denied any plans to privatise the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) or to curtail its responsibilities. “ISRO will never be diminished,” he asserted, emphasizing that the agency will continue to lead India’s strategic space programmes, including inter‑planetary missions, navigation services and satellite launches for national security. Dr. Sivan clarified that IN‑SPACe’s mandate is limited to fostering a vibrant private‑sector ecosystem, providing authorisations and facilitating technology transfer, but it does not entail taking over ISRO’s core functions.

The statement came amid growing unease among senior ISRO scientists and engineers, who have written a formal letter to Union Space Minister S. Srinivas Iyengar seeking written clarification on the government’s stance toward private‑sector participation. The letter, signed by a cross‑section of ISRO staff, expressed concern that recent policy pushes—particularly those advocated by Pawan Goenka, head of the Indian Space Association—could blur the line between the public and private space domains. Employees fear that an aggressive push for commercialisation may erode ISRO’s institutional culture, affect job security, and dilute its historic achievements in cost‑effective launch services.

While the Ministry of Space has not yet issued an official response, insiders note that the government remains committed to a “dual‑track” model: retaining ISRO as the sovereign agency responsible for flagship missions while encouraging private firms to undertake secondary payload launches, satellite manufacturing and downstream services. The Ministry’s draft Space Policy, slated for parliamentary review later this year, is expected to detail safeguards that preserve ISRO’s strategic role while outlining a clear regulatory framework for private entities. As the debate unfolds, the space community watches closely to see how India balances its ambition to become a global space hub with the need to protect its flagship agency’s legacy.