India puts data sovereignty and chip self-reliance at core of expanding space push: Ex-ISRO Chief

By Kaushal Verma

New Delhi [India] December 1 (ANI): India is sharpening its focus on data sovereignty and semiconductor self-reliance as its space programme accelerates, former ISRO chairman and Space Commission member Kiran Kumar said on Monday.

Speaking with ANI on the sidelines of Geo-Smart India 2025 summit at New Delhi, Kumar highlighted that secure access to space-generated data and locally built chips will shape the country's role in a trillion-dollar global space economy.

"When nobody was making chips in the country, the Department of Space was manufacturing them and using them in its programmes. These are 100% indigenous chips. How can we stay away from anything which is built in the country?" Kumar said, pointing to the government's renewed push to scale up semiconductor production for future satellite and rocket needs.

India has multiple semiconductor plants under development, including a large fabrication (fab) plant in Dholera, Gujarat, a Silicon Carbide (SiC) plant in Odisha, and an assembly and test (ATMP) plant in Assam. These facilities are part of the government's India Semiconductor Mission and are designed to produce chips for industries like automotive, consumer electronics, and defence, according to the government data.

The Semiconductor Mission aims to build a strong semiconductor and display ecosystem, positioning India as a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design.

He said India is expanding its satellite fleet across remote sensing, navigation, communications and broadcasting, with missions like NISAR generating large volumes of globally relevant data. Ensuring that this data is easily accessible while protecting sensitive information has become a central policy priority as the space economy grows and international collaboration widens.

Kumar said rapid changes in global space activities have prompted India to open the sector to private players. New space policies, the creation of IN-SPACe to promote and regulate industry, and the commercial operations of NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL) are drawing more companies into building and launching satellites and providing data-based services. India's space data exports are rising, and domestic growth of around 16% is outpacing the global average of 9-10%, he said.

Satellite communication capacity is also increasing, with NSIL working to ensure continuity of services and expand broadband coverage, including for rural village councils. India's navigation programme is progressing toward full regional capability after resolving recent launch issues, with long-term plans for global expansion.

ISRO is simultaneously advancing major missions, including uncrewed tests for India's first human spaceflight this year and a crewed launch expected two years later. India plans to build its own space station by 2035 and aims for a moon landing by 2040. Follow-on missions include Chandrayaan-4, a lunar sample-return effort, a joint mission with Japan, and a Venus probe.

Kumar said India has long built specialised chips and imaging sensors at facilities under the Department of Space, though on a limited scale. The government's new semiconductor investments aim to create a robust domestic supply chain as future spacecraft require more advanced electronics and sensor systems.

He said India's combination of launch capability, satellite applications and growing data infrastructure positions the country to play an increasingly significant role in global space cooperation and commerce as the sector expands. (ANI)

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