New Delhi, Sept 7:
Nine employee associations of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have sought an official clarification from its Chairperson V Narayanan over reports and comments suggesting that the space agency’s manufacturing and operational functions could increasingly be transferred to private companies and public sector undertakings.
In a letter dated September 4, the associations raised concerns over ISRO’s future role as well as the implications of any such restructuring for existing employees and future recruitment.
The employee bodies said they were not opposed to private participation in clearly defined commercial activities but cautioned against any policy that could reduce ISRO primarily to a research and development organisation while transferring the production of launch vehicles and operation of launch infrastructure outside the public sector.
The associations referred to comments made on August 21 by Pawan Goenka, chairperson of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), the regulatory body responsible for promoting, enabling, authorising and supervising space activities by non-government entities.
Goenka was reported to have said that eventually ISRO would no longer manufacture launch vehicles and that such work would be undertaken by the private sector or public sector undertakings.
The employee associations said the remarks had not been followed by any official communication from the Department of Space explaining the proposed policy, its legal and administrative basis, implementation timeline or implications for the existing workforce.
They sought clarity on whether the design, development, realisation, integration, testing and launch of major vehicles such as the PSLV, LVM3 and SSLV would continue to remain with ISRO.
The associations also sought details on the future of successor launch vehicles and the agency’s manufacturing and operational responsibilities.
Questions were raised over sanctioned manpower strength, existing vacancies, recruitment schedules and the induction of scientific, technical, administrative and industrial personnel across ISRO centres.
The employee bodies argued that technologies developed by ISRO constitute national assets and said any transfer of such capabilities should be transparent and accountable, while taking into consideration strategic, safety and employment concerns.
Their intervention comes amid the government’s broader push to expand private participation in India’s space sector. The associations have sought clarity before employees are forced to rely on public statements or media reports to understand the future direction of the organisation