Lok Sabha Question No. 536 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-03
Subject: Applications of Space Technology  in various Sectors
Ministry: SPACE
Asked by: Shri Ve Vaithilingam

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF SPACE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 536

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 03 DECEMBER, 2025

## APPLICATIONS OF SPACE TECHNOLOGY IN VARIOUS SECTORS

## 536. SHRI VE VAITHILINGAM:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether applications of space technology across various sectors such as agriculture, disaster management, urban planning and telecommunications is currently limited;
- (b) If  so,  the  details  of  the  initiatives  and  funding  mechanisms undertaken  by  the  Government  including  technology  adoption funds and public-private partnership schemes to boost the use of space technology in these sectors;
- (c) The progress made in fostering innovation and startups in the space  ecosystem  and  the  expected  impact  on  India's  space economy growth targets; and
- (d) The  planned  measures  for  creating  awareness  and  capacity building among State Governments and Union Territory's including industries and other stakeholders to utilise satelliteenabled services effectively?

## ANSWER

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

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- (a) Space  technology  is  extensively  used  in  India  for  applications across various domains such as agriculture, disaster management, urban planning etc.

In  the  agriculture  domain,  the  major  applications  developed include  pre-harvest  acreage  &  production  estimation  for  major crops, mapping & assessment of horticulture crops, crop intensification  for  optimal  utilization  of  post-kharif  rice  fallow areas under National Food Security Mission, drought monitoring & management, crop yield estimation under PMFBY scheme etc. Space technology utilisation is operationalised in MoA&FW with the establishment of Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC).

Similarly, satellite data is used for disaster  management support  for  various  disasters  such  as  cyclones,  floods,  forest fire,  landslides,  earthquakes,  GLOF,  and  agricultural  drought. Data of Indian satellites viz., INSAT-3DR & 3DS and EOS-06 are being  used  by  IMD  for  monitoring  tropical  cyclones  in  the Northern  Indian  Ocean,  and  for  generating  early  warning  of cyclogenesis, track, intensity as well as landfall time & location. ISRO provides flood inundation maps derived from multi-sensor satellite  data  during  floods  (riverine  or  cyclonic)  to  concerned State  Disaster  Management Authority for  disaster  management support. Flood hazard zonation (for six major flood prone states) and  spatial  flood  early  warning  models  (for  Godawari  &  Tapi basins)  have  also  been  developed.  Mapping  of  Glacial  Lakes (>0.25ha  area)  in  the  Himalaya  and  GLOF  risk  modelling  of  15 prioritised Glacial Lakes have also been done by ISRO under the National  Hydrology  Project  of  MoJS.  ISRO  disseminates  active forest fire detections, six to eight times daily, during the forest fire  season  to  FSI/  MoEF&CC  and  the  State  Governments  for forest fire management. Forest fire burnt area is also mapped for major forest fires. ISRO generates satellite data-based inventory of landslides and carries out damage assessment for landslides and  earthquakes.  National  Geospatial  Drought  portal  has  been developed  on  VEDAS  Geoportal  of  SAC/  ISRO,  jointly  with MoA&FW,  following the drought manual 2020. It provides fortnightly  assessment  of  drought  through  various  triggers  at taluka & district levels.

Very High Resolution Satellite data is being used for creation of urban geospatial database under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation  and  Urban  Transformation  (AMRUT)  project  of MoH&UA  for  potential  utilisation  in  the  urban  master  plan preparation.

Over  the  years,  ISRO  is  taking  the  lead  in  providing  the  space technology/applications  across  various  sectors  such  as  agriculture, disaster management, urban planning and telecommunications.  The participation of Indian private industry, which is in nascent stage in space  technology/application,  is  vital  for  meeting  the  increasing demand  for  space-based  solutions  by  developing  space  as  well  as ground applications leveraging India's human capital.

- (b) The  Government  of  India,  through  IN-SPACe,  has  launched  key initiatives to support private industry in developing space technologies/applications  for  sectors  such  as  agriculture,  disaster management,  urban  planning, and telecommunications. A Joint Working Group identifies use cases for pilot projects funded through IN-SPACe  Seed  fund.  Technology  Adoption  Fund  offers  up  to  60% funding for Startups/MSMEs and 40% for large industries, capped at ₹25 crores, to promote commercialization. IN-SPACe has also engaged industry partners to develop an indigenous Earth Observation system under a PPP model.
- (c) Space reforms have significantly increased the number and diversity of  Indian  space  startups,  many  progressing  toward  commercial launch services, satellite manufacturing, Earth observation constellations, data analytics, SATCOM,  and PNT applications. Companies like Skyroot and Agnikul are advancing in orbital launch capabilities and Ananth Technologies is developing a private communication  satellite, with indigenous technologies. Growing private  participation  is  poised  to  expand  India's  space  economy  by 2033 through greater investment, high-tech exports, skilled jobs, and a stronger global market presence.
- (d) To  accelerate  the  adoption  of  satellite-enabled  services  across governance and industry, IN-SPACe launched the 'Space Applications Adoptions Workshop' (SAAW). Nine thematic and regional workshops have  been  conducted,  including  those  focused  on  the  North-East, agriculture, defence, disaster mitigation, and various states. IN-SPACe has   organized structured training, outreach, technical handholding, and  capacity-building programs.  Additionally,  the  Department  of Space  conducted National Space  Meet 2.0 to sensitise State Departments and Ministries on applications in connectivity, agriculture, disaster management, and urban development.

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