The Congress party on Sunday accused the Modi government of deliberately narrowing ISRO’s role to promote start‑ups, arguing that the agency’s decades‑old capabilities would be handed to private firms whose long‑term commitment is uncertain.
Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, shared a screenshot of a media report that said key ISRO employee associations had written to chairperson V Narayanan, questioning the direction of the agency’s privatisation drive and its implications for the workforce and future role.
Ramesh said on X that ISRO’s role is being circumscribed under the pretext of encouraging a space‑economy start‑up ecosystem, and that the agency’s built‑up expertise is at risk of being transferred to private firms with doubtful long‑term commitment. He praised voices from within ISRO who are speaking out.
The party also highlighted the recent success of the GSLV launch of India’s first imaging satellite in geostationary orbit. Congress hailed the launch as a morale booster for ISRO, which had faced criticism from various quarters, and as evidence that the agency’s capabilities remain strong.
Earlier this month, the Congress accused the Modi administration of a “radical role reconfiguration” that would change ISRO’s character and of pursuing an aggressive privatisation agenda. The party noted that ISRO, founded in 1969 under the leadership of S. K. S. Sarabhai, remains a vital national institution.
