New Delhi, Oct 20: In a keynote address at the two-day Conference on Space in New Delhi, Union Minister of State for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, emphasized the importance of utilizing outer space for peaceful purposes and maintaining it as a conflict-free zone.
Singh asserted, “India stands for international space collaborations for the larger benefit of mankind” and highlighted India’s commitment to principles of transparency, accountability, and peaceful uses of space.
Addressing the global community, the Minister called for open dialogue and collaboration, urging nations, including China, to share missions and ventures without secrecy or suspicion.
Singh praised India’s cost-effective space missions, leveraging human resources and skills. He reiterated that India’s space program is globally competitive and entirely peaceful. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) collaborates with leading space agencies worldwide to enhance the ‘Ease of Living’ for citizens.
Despite the USA and the Soviet Union initiating their space journeys earlier, Singh pointed out that India’s Chandrayaan mission discovered evidence of water on the Moon, a significant achievement. He highlighted the cost-effectiveness of India’s space endeavors, citing the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s comparatively low cost of around 600 crore Rupees.
Singh shared impressive statistics, noting that ISRO has launched over 380 foreign satellites, generating revenue exceeding 220 Million Euros and 170 Million US dollars from American satellite launches. India’s space economy currently stands at about 8 billion dollars, and Singh projected it to reach 40 billion dollars by 2040. The Minister underscored India’s commitment to space exploration and collaboration for the benefit of humanity.
