Congress Accuses Modi Govt of Deliberately Curtailing ISRO’s Role

NEW DELHI, Sept 6: The Congress on Sunday accused the Modi government of deliberately reducing the role of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in the name of promoting start ups in the space sector, expressing concern over the transfer of capabilities developed by the agency to private companies.

Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh shared a screenshot of a media report stating that key employee associations within ISRO had written to its chairman, V Narayanan, questioning the direction of the organisation’s privatisation drive and its possible impact on employees and the agency’s future responsibilities.

“In the name of encouraging startups in the space economy, ISRO’s role is being deliberately circumscribed by the Modi government,” Ramesh said in a post on X.

He further alleged that capabilities painstakingly developed by ISRO over several decades were being considered for transfer to private companies, whose long-term commitment to the country’s space programme, he claimed, remained uncertain.

Ramesh said it was “courageous and commendable” that voices from within the ISRO community had begun raising concerns over the changes being pursued in the space sector.

He also linked the debate to ISRO’s latest launch success, saying the successful GSLV mission would have boosted the morale of the organisation while disappointing those critical or sceptical of its capabilities.

Referring to concerns raised by a former ISRO chairman, Ramesh appeared to point towards former space agency chief G Madhavan Nair. He said other former officials should also speak openly about their concerns rather than remain silent as what he described as the “Sarabhai-Dhawan edifice” is systematically dismantled.

The Congress had on Friday praised ISRO following the successful launch of India’s first imaging satellite in geostationary orbit. At the same time, the opposition party alleged that the government was pursuing a “radical role reconfiguration” that could alter the fundamental character of the space agency.

The party said the successful mission was likely to provide a significant morale boost to ISRO, which it claimed had faced criticism from several quarters.

ISRO’s Friday launch marked another milestone for India’s space programme, with a GSLV rocket successfully placing a payload weighing more than 2,300 kg into its intended orbit. The mission also marked the agency’s first successful launch of 2026.

The Congress has repeatedly criticised the government’s approach to private participation in the space sector. Last month, it accused the Modi government of “strangulating and emasculating” ISRO while pursuing what it termed an “aggressive privatisation agenda”.

ISRO was established in 1969, with Vikram Sarabhai playing a pivotal role in shaping India’s space programme and serving as its first chairman.