The Government of India (GOI) has proposed the name of Pawan Goenka, former Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra, as the chairperson of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe).
On September 7, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) issued an executive order to this effect. “The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal for appointment of Chairperson and Members of the Board of IN-SPACe on terms and conditions to be finalized by the Department with the approval of the competent authority. Necessary communication in this regard has been sent to the Department of Space,” said the order. The DoPT reports directly to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The announcement to launch IN-SPACe under the Department of Space was made in June 2020 to serve as the bridge between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and other government agencies and the private sector to develop a commercially viable and vibrant space ecosystem in India. Its mandate is to regulate and promote the building of routine satellites, rockets, and commercial launch services through Indian companies.
The appointment of Goenka, who is a seasoned technocrat, to helm IN-SPACe is an indication of GOI’s seriousness of intent towards the commercialization of the Space sector and economy and sends a positive message to the industry.
Since Space technology plays a critical role in national development and security, it’s important to strengthen the national Space infrastructure, while creating a conducive environment for greater participation of the private sector.
The formation of In-SPACe is a welcome step towards enhancing the valuable role of Space technologies in the transformative journey of New India. It is another step in fulfilling the vision outlined by Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian Space program, who said, “If we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second to none in the applications of advanced technologies to the real problems of man and society.”
In a country where the Space industry has been predominantly driven by the public sector so far, the strategy for building indigenous Space industrial capacity needs to be carefully nurtured and crafted. By liberalizing the Space sector, corporate India can play a crucial role in building capacities in areas such as commercial launches, smallsats, applications, and analytics, to name a few, that can make the technology accessible to the common people besides generating investments and employment.
There needs to be a combination of short and long-term strategies to ensure proper handholding of the private sector and its participatory engagement across the entire value chain of the Space industry. In this area, Goenka can play a crucial role, given his vast experience in the private sector, overseeing the development of new product lines, and expanding Mahindra’s geographical reach.
Goenka enjoys a stellar record as one of India’s top business leaders. He recently retired from Mahindra & Mahindra where he was an integral part of the leadership team that led the automaker’s transformation from being a domestic player with a focus on utility vehicles and farm equipment into a serious global challenger with footprints in Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the US by delivering world-class products. He was instrumental in the development of the iconic Scorpio in the early 2000s that ignited Mahindra’s transformation.
Strengthening the Space infrastructure through commercialization and participation of the private sector will have a direct impact on India’s security matrix. It will also lead to the development of more resilient technologies besides improving the value proposition of the downstream sectors such as agriculture, health, and insurance, to name a few.
