Budget and India’s space–astronomy ecosystem

₹13,416.20 crore allocated to the Department of Space for 2026–27.

Significant share directed towards:

• Deep-space exploration

• Astrophysics and frontier astronomy

National Large Optical-Infrared Telescope (30-m class) – Ladakh

National Large Solar Telescope near Pangong Lake, Ladakh

COSMOS-2 Planetarium, Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh)

Upgradation of control systems at the Himalayan Chandra Telescope, Hanle (Ladakh)

Only a few large observatories worldwide can conduct frontier research.

Countries like the US, China, Japan, and the EU consistently invest in upgrading telescopes, giving their scientists priority access.

Indian astronomers often face restricted access to overseas facilities, limiting cutting-edge research output.

Actual expenditure has often fallen below budgetary estimates.

Leads to:

• Delays in mission approvals

• Bottlenecks in execution of large projects

Resistance to innovative practices like:

• Buying fractional observation time on foreign telescopes

Such arrangements are widely used globally as:

• Stop-gap solutions

• Tools for international collaboration

India still relies heavily on foreign observatories for:

• High-resolution optical data

• High-frequency radio astronomy

• Sub-millimetre wavelength observations

This dependence weakens India’s autonomy in space science and astrophysics.

Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope:

• World’s largest low-frequency radio telescope array

• Attracts global researchers

Growth of:

• Optical and radio telescopes

• AI-driven data processing centres

Indian Space Research Organisation working closely with startups

Establishment of Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre in 2020 to:

• Promote public–private partnerships

• Enable private investment and innovation

Absence of:

• A large optical telescope comparable to global peers

• Any telescope operating in sub-millimetre wavelengths

Sub-millimetre astronomy is critical for:

• Studying proto-stellar disks

• Dusty galaxies

• Early universe structure

Proposal under Astronomy & Astrophysics Mega Science Vision 2035 aims to address this gap.

Adequate funding alone is insufficient without:

• Efficient utilisation

• Streamlined governance

• Checks and balances

Need for:

• Strategic international collaboration

• Domestic industry partnerships with regulation

Long-term benefits:

• Reduced dependence on foreign facilities

• Arresting brain drain

• Strengthening India’s position in global space science