Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Sivan on Thursday (June 25) welcomed the Centre's decision to open up the space sector to private companies, saying that the move will put India in a new league.


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“Department of Space will promote sector space activities to enable it to provide end to end space services, including building and launching of rockets and satellites as well as providing space-based services on commercial basis. Space sector, where India is among handful of countries with advanced space technology, can play significant role in boosting industrial base of India. The government has decided to implement reformed measures to leverage Isro's achievement by opening space sector for private enterprises,” Sivan said at a press briefing that was live-streamed on ISRO’s website.


He added, "As part of longer socio-economic reform, space reforms will improve access to space-based services for India's development. Far-reaching reforms will put India in league of few countries with efficient promotional and authorisation mechanism for private sector space activities."


On Wednesday, Union Cabinet had approved participation of the private sector in several space activities, including planetary exploration missions.


While announcing the deicison, Union minister Jitendra Singh had said that the newly-created Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) will give an opportunity to the private firms to use Indian space infrastructure.


Notably, Singh is the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office and Department of Space comes under the PMO.