New Delhi, August 24: The Indian space sector has, in the last 10 years, contributed $60 billion to the GDP, as well as generated 4.7 million jobs in the country, according to a report. It showed that in the last years, the country invested nearly $13 billion in the space sector. Through direct, indirect, and induced benefits, the sector contributed $60 billion to the national GDP.

The report by global consulting firm Novaspace, commissioned by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), was released by Union Minister of State for Space Jitendra Singh on the occasion of National Space Day. From $3.8 billion in 2014, the sector’s estimated revenues increased to $ 6.3 billion in 2023, said Steve Bochinger, affiliate executive adviser at Novaspace He informed that every dollar that was generated via investments or revenues in the space sector led to an additional “$2.54 of indirect and induced benefit” to the nation’s economy. RHUMI-1: India Launches 1st Reusable Hybrid Rocket To Collect Data for Research on Global Warming and Climate Change.

Bochinger also noted that the Indian space sector generated 4.7 million jobs, and “directly employs 96,000 persons through the public and the private sector". The report further showed that India was the eighth-largest space nation in the world in terms of funding and has seen faster growth of startups in the sector. It added that about eight lakh fishermen are benefitted daily by ISRO. About 1.4 billion Indians also get the benefit of satellite-based weather forecasts. ISRO Aims To Send Astronauts on Moon by 2040, Says S Somnath on National Space Day (Watch Video).

Meanwhile, the report also highlighted challenges such as regulatory, financing, infrastructure, market context, and workforce that currently impact the Indian space sector. Bochinger noted that the significant regulatory reforms in the space sector “have not produced their full effect yet”. Moreover, access to private capital is of major concern for startups in the country "especially due to an underdeveloped venture capital ecosystem," he said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 24, 2024 02:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).