"India will be space powerhouse in next 20-30 years": Former Australian PM Morrison
Sydney, August 14
Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has heaped praise on India's bright future in space technology, noting that the country can become a "space powerhouse" in the next 20 to 30 years, pointing to its geography, industrial capabilities, and expanding technological base.
Speaking online as part of the Indo-Mediterranean Dialogues, the former Australian Prime Minister emphasised that the opportunity extends across technology, manufacturing, and investment.
"I think India will be a space powerhouse over the next 20 to 30 years as its space economy matures," said Morrison.
"India takes its democracy and its institutions seriously and must, because it's a big part of your investment pitch as to why people would risk capital in India," he said.
The former Australian PM opined that as international companies reconsider their exposure to China, India will inevitably compete for that investment.
"We've seen capital withdrawn out of China. Where will it go? India will be one of those countries making that pitch, and I think it can make a good one."
In July this year, in a major boost to New Delhi's space projects, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the establishment of a temporary space tracking infrastructure on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands to actively support India's maiden human spaceflight endeavour.
The announcement came during a joint press interaction alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who met his Australian counterpart during the second leg of his three-nation visit.
The two leaders shared a warm handshake as they posed for the media in Melbourne, underscoring the deepening strategic convergence between the two democracies.
Addressing the media, PM Albanese highlighted the expanding technological alignment between Canberra and New Delhi.
"As we expand our cooperation in space and technology, we have agreed to commission a temporary space tracking terminal on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, which will support India's landmark Gaganyaan Human Space Flight Programme," PM Albanese said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While the praise feels nice, we need to be practical here. It took decades for others to reach where they are today. We have the talent and the drive, but we need consistent policy support and better funding for research. Let's not just take compliments at face value - we need to actually deliver on this promise.
The mention about capital shifting from China to India is key. Space technology isn't just about national pride - it's about economic opportunity. Our manufacturing base is growing, and with skilled engineers coming out of IITs and NITs, this could be a huge employment generator. But we need to move faster on commercializing our space capabilities.
As someone who has followed the space industry for years, I can confidently say that India's approach to space exploration is refreshingly different. The cost-effectiveness of ISRO's missions is remarkable. If the domestic private sector gets more involved and international partnerships expand, India could indeed become a major player. The Gaganyaan project with Australian support is a perfect example of this collaboration.
Good to see international leaders acknowledging our potential. But honestly, we shouldn't wait for applause - we need to focus on actual execution. The interim budget for space is still lacking compared to other nations. Let's hope this recognition translates into real investment and technology transfers, especially for Gaganyaan. The Australian tracking station on Cocos Islands is a solid step though.
This is exactly the kind of leadership recognition that sparks innovation. India's recent successes with RLV-TD, the upcoming NIS
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