Lok Sabha Question No. 3358 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-09
Subject: Encouraging the Growth of Startups
Ministry: SPACE
Asked by: S. Jagathrakshakan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF SPACE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3358

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 09, 2023

## ENCOURAGING THE GROWTH OF STARTUPS

## 3358. SHRI S. JAGATHRAKSHAKAN:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken necessary steps to make India's space agency more business friendly by encouraging the growth of startups;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has taken note of the fact that the country's success rate in recent years of about 70% compares poorly  to  rates  in  the  90s  for  rockets  from  the  US,  Europe, Russia or China; and
- (d) if so, the details of the remedial steps that are proposed to be taken by the Government keeping in mind that the  value of India's satellite launch services?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH):

## (a) & (b)

Yes, Sir. With the reforms in the space sector undertaken in 2020  and  the  recently  released  Indian  Space  Policy  -  2023, Government has taken several steps to enable NonGovernment  Entities  (NGEs),  including  Start-ups,  to  take  up end-to-end activities in space domain.

Necessary support in this regard is being extended through the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (INSPACe), which has been created as a single window agency to promote, handhold and authorize space activities of NGEs. In this regard, necessary technical support, usage of dedicated facilities  and  mentorship  is  being  extended  through  the

National Space Agency, ISRO,

The initiatives taken by IN-SPACe for encouragement of Startups include:

-  IN-SPACe seed fund scheme
- 
- Price support for utilization of ISRO facilities
-  Technical  support  for  NGEs  in  terms  of  handholding, transfer of technology, etc.
-  Establishment of software design lab
- Frequent meets/roundtable with national and international
-  industries for potential business opportunities.

## (c) & (d)

Country's success rate in recent years (between 2017-2022) for rocket launches is nearly 90% which is comparable with success rate of other space faring nations during the same period i.e. Europe (90%), USA (97%), Russia (98%), China (94%) and Japan (91%).

During  last  ten  years  (2013-2022),  India  has  conducted  52 launches of which only 3 were failures that corresponds to a success rate of 94.3%.

In order to enhance India's share in the launch service market, Government,  through  NSIL  (Public  Sector  Enterprise  under DOS) offers commercial launch services through ISRO's launch vehicles viz. PSLV and LVM3.

NSIL, has also executed contract with private consortium for realization of PSLV through Indian Industry.  Further, INSPACE has  also  recently  released  Expression  of  Interest  (EOI)  for Technology  Transfer  of  the  Small  Satellite  Launch  Vehicle (SSLV) for interested Indian Industries, to provide commercial launch services, thus catering to the small satellite market.

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