Electronic Proceedings - United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

science and technology for its overall development. India thus adopted in 1958 a scientificpolicy resolution, which stated in general that the country’s objective was “to secure, for thepeople of the country, all the benefits that can accrue from the acquisition and application ofscientific knowledge”. This statement demonstrated an awareness of the tremendous potentialof space technology for national development, especially in the field of communications andresource management. In addition, with a view to achieving maximum self-reliance in thepractical harnessing of space, a strategy for the Indian Space Programme was formulated bythe late Dr. Vikram Sarabhai (also known as the father of the Indian Space Programme) in theearly 1960s; according to him, the practical aspects of the space programme were mostimportant. To quote Dr. Sarabhai: “There are some who question the relevance of spaceactivities in a developing nation. To us, there is no ambiguity of purpose. We do not havethe fantasy of competing with the economically advanced nations in the explorations ofthe moon or planets or manned space flights. But we are convinced that if we are to playa meaningful role nationally and in the comity of nations, we must be second to none inthe application of advanced technologies to problems of man and society, which we findin our country.” .Thus the Indian space programme started in the 1960s with the establishment of theThumba Equatorial Launching Station near Thiruvanathapuram for the investigation of theionosphere using sounding rockets. Afterwards, the Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO) was established in 1969 under the Department of Atomic Energy. In 1972, the SpaceCommission and the Department of Space (DOS) were set up and ISRO was also broughtunder the Department of Space. Since then, India has reached an enviable position in thedesign, development and operation of space systems, as well as the use of systems for vitalservices like telecommunication, television, broadcasting, meteorology, disaster warning,natural resources survey and management activities. The Indian space programme has overthe period become largely self-reliant with a capability to design and build its own satellitesfor providing space services and to launch them using indigenously designed and developedlaunch vehicles. Recently, India has acquired the capability to place satellites into geosynchronoustransfer orbits. This has placed India into a select group of six nations in theworld to have such a capability. Today, India has made huge progress in this field and itscapabilities represent a wide spectrum of expertise which ranges from conceptual design, tobuilding and operating a wide variety of space systems that are comparable to the best in theworld. India is thus recognized as a leader in space applications that have a wide impact onsociety. India’s total self-reliance in the area of vital applications of space activities in thefields of communications, broadcasting, meteorology and natural resource information –which are of direct importance for national development – has secured India a unique place inthe international community.CHALLENGES FACING INDIAIndia, the world’s largest democracy, is a country of great diversity not only in itsterrain but also with its people. Although India houses one sixth of the world’s population, itis only slightly larger than one-third the size of the United States of America (U.S.A.).The following are some of the vital statistics of India to show its enormous diversityand the resultant challenges it faces:• India has 28 states and 7 Union territories.• Total area: 3,287,590 sq. km. Land: 2,973,190 sq. km. Water: 314,400 sq. km.411