Indian space regulator needs legal sanction: IN-SPACe’s Pawan Goenka

Pawan Kumar Goenka, IN-SPACe chairperson

Indian Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) chairperson Pawan K Goenka has admitted that the legality of the regulator's decisions can potentially be questioned until a law is brought in to back its formation.

Although the recently released Indian Space Policy lays down IN-SPACe’s roles and responsibilities, there is still no law that solidifies its establishment. For instance, the establishment of telecom regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), was mandated under the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act of 1997.

“Until the legislation is in place, the legality of IN-SPACe’s decisions can be questioned, I think. I'm not a lawyer. But I think till the time the law is in place, IN-SPACe is still a department attached to the Department of Space — even if it's autonomous," Goenka said in an interview with Moneycontrol.

Also read: India’s space startup ecosystem needs one or two big hits: Pawan K Goenka, IN-SPACe

The draft Space Activities Bill was introduced in 2017, with an aim to facilitate the private sector in getting access to the multi-billion-dollar space industry. However, the bill is still under consideration, with no immediate time-frame set for its release.

"Normally, law comes first and policy comes later. But the reason it was done this way is that the law would have taken more time. And, therefore, policy (Indian Space Policy 2023) gives us the operating sort of mandate. Meanwhile, we are working on the law,” Goenka said.

Before being appointed as the chairperson for IN-SPACe, Goenka was the managing director at Mahindra and Mahindra. "I cannot even tell you when the law might be done. We have a draft ready. It's being reviewed, but it's still not around the corner. It's going to take some time," he said.

Earlier, experts Moneycontrol spoke to had pointed out that it was necessary for a law to be passed by the Parliament backing IN-SPACe's creation.

Released in April, the Indian Space Policy 2023 lays down in detail the regulator's responsibilities. "Now, the private sector can build rockets and satellites; can launch and operate their own space assets; can even have their own launch pad if they want to; can deliver commercial services; can co-own technology with ISRO; can gather and disseminate data, create infrastructure — and for all of that IN-SPACe becomes the primary facilitator for them," he said.