Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi enabled the Chandrayaan-3 Mission with his foresight and increased allocation for Space Research, said Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Space and Atomic Energy.

“We are offering them funds when they require it, we are offering them environment when they require it, we are offering them freedom when they require it, we are offering them synergy when they require it and we have liberated them from those self-imposed shackles and this has happened in the last nine years,” said Dr Jitendra Singh, participating in the Discussion on “India’s Glorious Space Journey marked by successful Soft Landing of Chandrayaan-3” in the Rajya Sabha today.

The Minister said PM Modi hiked the Space budget manifold and opened up the Space sector with the result that the number of Space StartUps have gone up from just 4 in 2014 to 150 now.

“If you see the Space Budget alone, there is a 142% increase in the last nine years,” he said, pointing out that there has been a three-fold or more hike in related budgets like Dept. of Science & Technology and Dept. Atomic Energy.

Dr Jitendra Singh said India’s quantum leap in the Space sector has only been possible after Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi took the courageous decision to “unlock” this sector from the “veil of secrecy”.

“…And this is what has given the outcomes, - a multiple, manifold investment; so there is a huge synergy now between Research, Academia, Startups and Industry,” he said.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, out of the 424 foreign satellites launched by ISRO since 1990s, more than 90% - 389 were launched in the last nine years.

“We have so far earned 174 Million US Dollars from the launching of the foreign satellites; out of these $174 million, as much as $157 million have been earned only in the last nine years… Out of the European satellites launched so far in the last 30 years or more than that, the total revenue generated is 256 million Euros, out of which Euro 223 million, almost 90%, earned in the last nine years, which means the scale has gone up, the speed has gone up and therefore there is a huge jump that has happened,” he said.

Dr Jitendra Singh said India’s Space economy today stands at about $8 billion, but it is projected to reach $40 billion by 2040, and according to the ADL (Arthur D Little) Report, we could have the potential of $100 Billion by 2040.

He said, India’s space missions are designed to be cost effective. The Minister said the failed Russian moon mission cost Rs.16,000 crore, while our Chandrayaan-3 mission cost just around Rs.600 crore. We have learnt to compensate for cost through our skills, he said.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, even though Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon in 1969, it was our Chandrayaan that brought evidence about presence of water on the surface of Moon.

Dr Jitendra Singh said India is utlilising Space Applications in almost all sectors such as Weather Forecasting and Disaster Management, Smart City project, Infrastructure Development, Railway Tracks & management of unmanned Railway Crossings, Roads & Buildings, Telemedicine, Governance, and the ‘Svamitva’ GPS land-mapping.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that during PM Modi’s tenure of nine years, India’s disaster capabilities have become world class and we are providing Disaster Forecasts for neighbouring countries as well.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, in order to involve the private sector in R&D efforts, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi came out with the "Anusandhan National Research Foundation" Bill. It will have majority funding from non-government sources. Out of its budget of Rs. 50,000 crore over five years, as much as Rs. 36,000 crore, almost 80%, is going to come from industry & philanthropists, from domestic as well as outside sources.

Dr Jitendra Singh said the world today looks up to India and is ready to be led by India under Prime Minister Modi.

“The world today has recognized the quantum jump that India has undertaken,” he said.

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