Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Indian Space Association (ISpA) on October 11, 2021, via videoconferencing. At the virtual launch event, PM Modi said that the government can no longer act as a handler for the Space sector, but rather has to work as an enabler. He said that the government’s policies will help ensure innovation in the private space sector.
The ISpA is a private industry body that will act as a premier industry body for space and satellite companies in the country. ISpA will be represented by homegrown and global corporations with advanced capabilities in space and satellite technologies.
- First Chairman – Jayant Patil, L&T-NxT Senior Executive Vice President for Defence
- Vice-President – Rahul Vatts, Bharti Airtel’s chief regulatory officer
- Director-General – Lt Gen. A.K. Bhatt (Retd.)
Its founding members include Bharti Airtel, Larsen & Toubro, Nelco (Tata Group), OneWeb, Mapmyindia, Walchandnagar Industries, and Ananth Technology Limited. Other core members include Godrej, Hughes India, Azista-BST Aerospace Private Limited, BEL, Centum Electronics, and Maxar India.