India is being watched for its space feat especially with the recent launch of a record-breaking 104 nano-satellites into orbit from a single rocket.
Experts however feel that India can do a lot more, given its potential.
What are India's strengths?
Scientists attribute much of ISRO’s success and prolific output to the way the organization is run.
Tight cost-control driven by the organization’s ability to do everything in-house – including building rockets, satellites, propulsion systems, and sensors – has helped.
Cheaper Indian labour — scientists, engineers, technicians, support staff — as compared to those in the U.S. or Europe is another plus.
ISRO is now recognized as a reliable source by many countries to outsource their launches to.
Apart from commercial space activities and for agricultural purposes, India is also augmenting its capacity to pursue diplomatic and security objectives.
What are the opportunities at present?
The recent achievements have helped strengthen India's place in the burgeoning private space market.
With surging demand for telecommunication services India’s primacy in the field of space exploration and space-based services will skyrocket further.
Demand for small, inexpensive satellites, like the ones ISRO fired off, is especially expected to boom.
ISRO now has its eyes set on interstellar missions (travelling between stars or planetary systems) which is expected to set the template for future interstellar missions.
There are a range of other missions under way such as Aditya-1 (first Indian space mission to study the sun), Chandrayaan-2 mission, an orbiter to Venus, etc.
Where to focus now?
Indian government has been augmenting ISRO’s budget year on year. Even so, the organization’s current annual budget of $1 billion is just 5 percent of NASA’s.
ISRO’s average annual revenue over the last three years is approximately $200 billion which is very low in comparison with the global launch services market.
ISRO has to fully leverage its capacities and talents to earn more profits, which can help expand its operations.
Despite its successes, India needs to claim a larger share of the global space economy pie. It should fully tap the potential and earn substantial profits for its commercial launch services.
Indian government should formulate policies to optimally use its scientific and technological expertise to nurture home-grown enterprises.
This can help expand a range of products and services for the domestic market as well as increase the participation in the global space industry.
