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Govt reforms, private partnerships behind Indian space industry growth in 2024: ISpA

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New Delhi, Dec 24: Reforms made by the government coupled with private partnerships played a crucial role in the growth of India’s space industry in 2024, said the Indian Space Association (ISpA), noting that 2025 is poised to be a year of transformative developments.

Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt (Retd), Director General, ISpA stated that government reforms like the Foreign Direct Investment policy, the Rs 1,000 crore Venture Capitalist fund, and a thriving startup ecosystem, coupled with dynamic public-private collaborations propelled space sector growth.

“The Indian government’s continued focus on strategic policy reforms not only opens the door for significant private sector investment but also ensures that India stays at the forefront of global space innovation. With the continuous support from the government and the push for the public,” Bhatt said.

“The private space sector is witnessing a major growth in the startup ecosystem driven by favourable policy reforms like the liberal FDI policy announced this year,” he stated, adding that this will give the country “access to the latest tech advances and funds” both from Indian and global investors.

The FDI policy in the space sector was launched under the Indian Space Policy 2023 in March. It allows for 100 per cent FDI under the automatic route for satellite components and systems, up to 74 per cent for satellite manufacturing and operation, and 49 per cent for launch vehicles and spaceports.

In October, the Cabinet approved a Rs 1,000 crore VC Fund for the space sector, bolstering startups and private players.

It also approved Phase III of the Space-Based Surveillance (SBS-III) project, targeting the launch of 52 satellites to enhance surveillance. This involved the manufacturing of 31 satellites by the private sector, providing immense opportunities to the industry.

Further, the year also witnessed the laying of the foundation stone for India’s second spaceport in Kulasekharapattinam, Tamil Nadu.

Tata Advanced Systems and Satellogic launched India’s first private sub-metric high-resolution Earth Observation satellite in April.

In May, Agnikul Cosmos made history with the launch of “Agnibaan – SOrTeD,” the world’s first rocket powered by a fully 3D-printed, semi-cryogenic engine.

Funding for Indian space-tech startups reached $76.79 million in 2024, bringing total funding to $463.24 million to date. This includes Pixxel, GalaxEye, Dhruva Space, XDLink Labs, Piersight, and EtherialX.

Notably, this year, ISRO’s commercial arm, NSIL, invited private firms to apply for the end-to-end manufacturing of the Launch Vehicle Mark-III, used in Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3.

IN-SPACe, under the Department of Space, also called for initial bids from domestic companies to design, build, and operate Earth Observation satellites. These initiatives mark the Centre’s push to become a key customer for India’s private space sector through a public-private partnership (PPP) model, transforming the space sector, Bhatt said.

Maharashtra

Goats continue to arrive in Deonar Mandi on Eid-ul-Adha, BMC and Deonar administration claim to have completed all preparations, online permits for sacrifice

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Mumbai: Goats have started arriving at the Deonar slaughterhouse for Eid-ul-Adha. Due to heavy rains, the crowd in the market is less. The Deonar administration has claimed to have completed all the preparations for Eid-ul-Adha. A fee of Rs 195 is being charged from traders per goat, but there is no fee for buyers. Deonar slaughterhouse general manager Kaleem Pasha Pathan said that complete arrangements have been made for the sacrifice in Deonar, along with all the arrangements including the goat shed.

Deonar slaughterhouse is under 24-hour CCTV surveillance. Along with goats, there is a buffalo market here and the purchase of buffaloes has also increased. Last year, due to the increase in goat prices, the purchase of buffaloes was also high, so this year too, the buffalo and goat market has been decorated. He said that all kinds of facilities are available in the market, including medical examination of goats and animals, along with other necessary arrangements including stalls have been made for buyers. Eid-ul-Adha buffaloes are sacrificed in Dewiyar from June 7 to June 9 and the sacrificers are informed about the schedule after booking tokens and slots, along with which online permits for sacrifice are also provided at housing societies and other places. Kaleem Pathan said that fencing and sheds have been arranged for the protection of sacrificial animals, along with roads have also been prepared so that buyers do not face any kind of trouble during the rains.

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Maharashtra

Crackdown on Malaysian international drug smuggler and ringleader deported, accused handed over to police, 8 accused arrested so far

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Mumbai: In a major development, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has extradited the kingpin of an international drug trafficking gang from Malaysia with the help of other national and international agencies. It started with the seizure of around 200 grams of cocaine hidden in a projector from a parcel sent from Mumbai to Australia by DHL courier on January 21, 2025.

Following a bottom-up approach during the investigation of the case, the NCB in Navi Mumbai further affected the seizure of 11.540 kg of cocaine, 4.9 kg of cannabis and 5.5 kg of ganja from the house of a member of the syndicate. The investigation has revealed a well-oiled transnational syndicate involved in smuggling cocaine from the US to India and further distributing it within and outside India. The investigation further revealed the involvement of Clearing House Agents (CHAs) and Hawala operators.

A total of 08 people have been arrested so far and the ringleader, who was in Thailand in 2021 after escaping from an earlier NCB case in connection with LSD smuggling, was in Malaysia and was brought to India following a recent NCB Red Notice. The investigation into the case has already revealed that the syndicate had been operating for at least a year and several air cargo parcels of cocaine were received in Mumbai during this period. The interrogation of the ringleader brought from Malaysia is likely to reveal more details of his operations, including the sources of drugs in the US. The financial investigation in the case has already identified assets including properties and bank accounts in Thailand. Efforts are underway to attach these properties. In a significant development, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has deported the ringleader of an international drug trafficking gang from Malaysia with the help of other national and international agencies.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai BMC issues directions to Municipal Commissioner Gagrani to deal with flood situation

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Mumbai: In view of the situation created by the continuous and heavy rains in Mumbai for two days, Municipal Commissioner and Administrative Manager Bhushan Gagrani today reviewed the monsoon works of the Municipal Corporation. At that time, he gave various instructions to the officers. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs) Dr. Vipin Sharma, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijeet Bangar, all the concerned Joint Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners and concerned officers were present in the meeting held at the Municipal Corporation headquarters.

Municipal Commissioner Gagrani said that this year the monsoon arrived in Mumbai fifteen days earlier than every year. It is a fact that the works of the Municipal Corporation have been affected to some extent due to the heavy rains in the beginning. Especially, the work of removing silt from drains has been hampered. However, to ensure that the pace of monsoon works is not slowed down under any circumstances, appropriate amendments should be made in the previous planning and necessary changes should be made. The Municipal Commissioner said that the work of desilting rivers and canals should be completed in the next eight to ten days.

This year, a total of 414 pumping sets have been planned to be installed in low-lying and very low-lying areas as well as in all possible places where water can accumulate during heavy rains. Accordingly, it should be ensured that the process of installation of pumping sets (pump sets) is completed at all places. The process of setting up and operating the pumping system should be completed in the next 24 hours. To check that the system is working smoothly, it should be properly tested. Follow-up should be done in coordination at the necessary levels to complete the entire process. The contractors have been given letters of expediency to acquire 10 sets of mobile pumps mounted on vehicles on lease. These sets will be available within eight days. Gagrani also said that this system can be used in case of emergency.

He further said that utmost care should be taken that rainwater does not accumulate in extremely low-lying and low-lying areas. If water accumulates due to heavy rain, efforts should be made to ensure its early drainage. The new places where rainwater has accumulated, the Assistant Commissioner of the concerned administrative department and the Deputy Commissioner of the circle should inspect these places. The reasons for the formation of such new places should be found. Gagrani advised that the steps to be taken at these places should be decided and the problem of water accumulation should be resolved.

Flood control gates should be installed in timely and proper manner at relief centers like Haji Ali, Lovegrove, Britannia etc. They should be opened and closed every two hours and the Emergency Management Room should be informed that they are in good condition. The remaining work of concreting the roads should be completed at an accelerated pace. The incomplete roads should be completed permanently and made traffic-ready. In addition, road blocks (barricades) and other materials should be removed from the roads within 24 hours and transported to the warehouses. It should be ensured that vehicles do not obstruct the roads in any way. Similarly, the work of felling trees should be completed on time, etc., Municipal Commissioner Gagrani directed.

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