Nine ISRO employee organisations have written a letter to the space agency’s chairman, V. Narayanan, seeking clarification on privatisation. The letter was written on September 4.
The employee organisations said that private companies may participate in government institutions, but ISRO should remain a strong organisation. It should not be reduced to a limited research and development (R&D) institution.
How issue raised?
On August 21, IN-SPACe Chairman Pawan Goenka said at an event that eventually ISRO would not build any launch vehicle or manufacture any launch vehicle. This would be done by the private sector or PSUs. IN-SPACe is responsible for promoting, authorising and monitoring private-sector space activities.
IN-SPACe stands for Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center. It is a government-established, independent nodal agency under the Department of Space that promotes and regulates the participation of private companies in India’s space sector. In simple terms, ISRO develops space technology, while IN-SPACe helps private companies use and commercialise space technology.
The employee organisations said that ISRO’s technology, testing facilities and launch infrastructure have been developed with public money. Therefore, the process of handing them over to private companies should be transparent and accountable.
The nine ISRO employee associations that wrote the letter to ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan are ISRO Staff Association, SHAR Employees Association, ISAC Employees Association, ISRO Staff Association – LPSC, ISRO Staff Association – BBU, NRSA Employees Union, Space Employees Association – BBU, ISRO Staff Association – IPRC, and SAC Employees Welfare Association.
The associations represent employees working at different ISRO centres and units, including Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR), ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA), ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), and Space Applications Centre (SAC).
India’s space sector is moving towards greater private participation, with companies increasingly taking up activities traditionally handled by ISRO. SSLV technology has already been transferred to HAL for production, while the production of PSLV and LVM3 may also gradually move to private companies and PSUs.
Private firms are also entering rocket launches, satellite manufacturing and space infrastructure operations. This could reduce ISRO’s routine manufacturing and operational workload, leading to concerns about future recruitment, vacancies and promotions among ISRO employees.
However, ISRO says it is not being privatised and will increasingly focus on advanced R&D, strategic missions, human spaceflight and next-generation space technologies.
Why are employees worried?
Employees are worried about the future of ISRO because more of its traditional work is gradually being shifted to private companies and PSUs. If the manufacturing of launch vehicles such as SSLV, PSLV and LVM3, along with routine satellite production and some operations, moves outside ISRO, employees fear that the in-house workload and technical roles at ISRO could reduce.
They are particularly concerned about fewer future vacancies and recruitment, slower promotions and reduced career opportunities. They also want clarity on whether ISRO will continue to have a major role in designing, building, testing and launching rockets, or will mainly focus on research and development while private companies handle production.
Read Letter written by ISRO Staff
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