India has said a new-look draft space legislation, aimed at liberalizing the sector and promoting more private sector involvement in activities, is being considered by the government, Space Minister Jitendra Singh said.

In reply to a written question in Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament), Dr. Singh said that the Space Activities Bill is under active consideration of the government, which will include aspects pertaining to regulation and promotion of private players in the space sector.

The government is in the process of creating an ecosystem to encourage more private participation in indigenous production of space technologies, services and devices, the Minister said.

The Indian Government announced space sector reforms in June 2020. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) was created as an independent nodal agency under the Department of Space (DoS) with the mandate of promoting, handholding, licensing, authorization and monitoring of private space activities in India.

Access to Department of Space (DOS) facilities and expertise are being extended to private entities to support their space activities. The government has been encouraging transfer of technologies developed in the field of space to Indian industries.

Apart from this, the government of India is bringing in new sectoral policies and guidelines, while revising existing policies.

The government said extensive public consultations were undertaken including the involvement of relevant departments and ministries, and representatives from the industry, academia, start-ups and the general public as well.

All suggestions have been taken into consideration and appropriately addressed in the draft Space Activity legislation.

(Photo courtesy ISRO website)