Space technology being used to boost development: BJP

New Delhi, Dec 15 (PTI) The government has used space technology to boost development by tracking a host of projects, the BJP said on Friday, noting that ISRO has conducted twice as many satellite launches since 2014 than it did during the 10 years before that.

India’s space economy is now worth USD 8 billion and it employs 45,000 people, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said here.

Puri also expressed confidence that the sector will reach USD 100 billion in the next 15 years and its global share will zoom to 10 per cent from the current two per cent.

Speaking to reporters, Puri credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for using space technology to track a host of projects related to urban development, infra work and MNREGA and said it has boosted growth.

Since the days when foreign governments worked to sanction India’s space outreach in the early 90s, the country has emerged as a “confident and respected global space technology power under the visionary, firm and decisive leadership of PM Modi.”

With 53 spacecraft missions, 52 launch vehicle missions and six technology demonstrators since 2014, India is soaring high, he said, adding the opening up of the space sector has led to 195 start-ups in the field, with Indian satellite manufacturing now worth USD 3.2 billion in one year.

India now ranks fifth among space-faring countries to have end-to-end technology, the minister said, expressing confidence it will succeed in sending a manned mission to the Moon by 2040.

He also noted that Russia’s unsuccessful Moon mission cost over Rs 16,000 crore while India’s successful Chandrayaan-3 mission cost only Rs 600 crore.

Puri said space science and technology are being developed for the socio-economic benefits of the country as the government is expansively using it in welfare schemes to benefit the most vulnerable sections of society.

“Applications are found in various domains such as disaster management, PM-SVAMITVA scheme, PM Gati Shakti, PMAY, AMRUT, Smart Cities Mission, PM Fasal Bima Yojana, PMGSY, agriculture and water resource mapping, telemedicine and robotic surgery in addition to other terrestrial services, like weather forecasting, remote sensing, satellite navigation systems, satellite television, & long-distance communications systems,” he later said on X.