Space technology to shape India’s next growth story, says ISRO scientist

Space technology is emerging as a key driver of India’s scientific progress, economic growth and national development, and will play a pivotal role in realizing the vision of a Viksit Bharat, said senior ISRO scientist Prof. Amitabh Singh at Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) on Monday.

Highlighting ISRO’s expanding role beyond space exploration, he said its technologies are transforming sectors such as agriculture, communication, navigation, weather forecasting and disaster management, while opening new avenues for research, innovation and technology-driven startups.

Delivering the keynote address at the inaugural session of a Faculty Development Programme (FDP) on “AI-Enabled Teaching, Learning, Assessment and Academic Research”, Prof. Singh said the ISRO had emerged as a key driver of national development, with its technologies supporting sectors such as agriculture, communication, navigation, weather forecasting and disaster management.

Prof. Singh, who is Chairmen of the Planetary and Space Science Data Processing Division and a senior scientist associated with the Venus Orbiter Mission at the Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad, highlighted the achievements of the Chandrayaan missions and outlined India’s roadmap for future lunar and planetary exploration.

He explained how computer vision and AI are increasingly being integrated into interplanetary missions to improve navigation, autonomous decision-making and mission reliability. He also shared insights into the upcoming Chandrayaan-4, Chandrayaan-5 and the proposed Venus Orbiter Mission.

Presiding over the programme, MDU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Milap Punia urged students and researchers to harness the opportunities emerging in AI and space technology, adding that the expanding private space ecosystem, exemplified by companies such as Sky root Aerospace, had created significant scope for innovation-driven startups.

The programme concluded with an interactive session in which Prof. Singh and Prof. Punia answered questions from faculty members, research scholars and students on the future of space exploration, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

Earlier, Prof. Munish Garg, Director, Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre (MMTTC), welcomed the participants, while Prof. Nasib Singh Gill, Dean, Faculty of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, highlighted the growing significance of AI in higher education and academic research.