By Staff Correspondent
As ISRO exemplifies unparalleled success with Chandrayaan-3, the global standing and innovations of India’s space research body offer crucial insights for the nation’s defence sectors.
In the competitive realms of space exploration and technological innovation, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is experiencing a prolific phase of breakthroughs, with the prominent achievement being the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft’s historic landing on the lunar South Pole – a first, placing India in an exclusive global list. This significant milestone has led to the spacecraft’s landing site being christened Shiv Shakti by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On July 14, Chandrayaan-3 was propelled into orbit, and with the successful touchdown of the Vikram lander on August 23, India joined an elite club of countries with advanced lunar exploration capabilities. Subsequently, the Pragyan rover was successfully deployed, with both entities having a mission life equivalent to 14 Earth days. The Chandrayaan-3 mission, part of ISRO’s third lunar exploration, was operationalized using the LVM3 launcher at a budget of Rs 250 crore, excluding the launcher’s cost.
ISRO, currently the sixth-largest space agency globally, is not just another state-owned entity but a symbol of global competition and ambition. Unlike the nation’s defence sector, often criticized for its lack of global competitiveness, ISRO is embracing the world, with aspirations to involve Indian industry extensively in satellite and ground equipment manufacturing and support the global satellite data industry.
ISRO’s transition back to its roots as a Research & Development entity is noteworthy, with plans to delegate more manufacturing, launching, and operational responsibilities to Indian industries and their global counterparts. “Today we are taking a lot of support from the Indian industry, and much of the manufacturing which we used to do in-house has been moved out,” stated V Somnath, the chairman of ISRO, emphasizing the increasing contribution of Indian industry, which now accounts for 50% of satellite contributions.
This collaborative approach has accelerated ISRO’s capabilities, allowing them to construct and launch around eight to nine satellites annually without an increase in manpower. This synergy has seen over 100 satellites launched and has contributed to the launching of 389 foreign satellites since 2014, earning revenues of USD 174 million.
In March 2019, the union government initiated a new phase of commercial exploitation with the establishment of New Space India Limited (NSIL), intended to fulfill the growing demands of Indian space programmes and to tap into the emerging global space market. The NSIL aims to collaborate with the private sector for technological transfers, production, and marketing of space-based products and services.
The Takeaway for Defence Sector: ISRO’s global advancements provide substantial lessons for the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and other state-owned defence entities. Despite occasional delays, ISRO’s streamlined programmes and extensive supplier networks contrast starkly with the endemic delays of many DRDO initiatives.
With an advanced domestic industrial base and the national economic strength to support robust manufacturing capabilities, ISRO’s model seems to be an exemplary pathway for high-technology aerospace and military missile programmes, which can harness the innovations and capabilities developed by the space research entity.
Considering the changes and advancements since the inception of Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) in 1983, it is prudent for India to consider a renewed approach, potentially an IGMDP-II, to develop next-generation missiles leveraging ISRO’s successful models.
ISRO’s continuous pursuit of excellence and its seamless collaboration with the industry are commendable examples for state-owned defence enterprises, beckoning a revision and revitalisation of strategies to attain global competitiveness in high-technology programs. By fostering a conducive environment for research, development, and commercial collaborations, the defence sector can elevate its capabilities and global standing, mirroring the triumphs of ISRO.
