Can strategic autonomy in space be reconciled with liberalised FDI and international partnerships? Examine.

Strategic autonomy in space means India can reach, run and protect the space assets its security and development depend on. The government says sovereign capability and international cooperation "need not be competing objectives" [1]. With the right safeguards, the two can support each other.

How liberalisation can strengthen autonomy

• Tiered FDI: 100% automatic route for components, 74% automatic for satellites, and only 49% automatic for launch vehicles and spaceports, with government approval needed beyond that [2]. The more sensitive the activity, the less open it is.
• Technology inflow: FDI is meant to bring technology transfer and joint research [2]. ISRO's ₹511 crore transfer of SSLV technology to HAL builds launch capacity inside India [2].
• Partnerships as leverage: 138 of NSIL's 141 satellite launches were for international or other customers, including 36 OneWeb satellites on LVM3 [2]. Foreign orders help pay for Indian rockets.
• Space diplomacy: India gives space-based disaster support to Myanmar, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka [1]. This makes India a regional provider, not a dependent.

Where tensions arise

• Ownership and control: the government route allows up to 100% foreign ownership [2]. Sensitive data or ground stations could come under foreign control.
• Capital and talent flight: startups may move their legal base abroad. The ₹1,000 crore VC Fund openly aims to keep firms domiciled in India and stop talent loss overseas [3].
• Thin domestic demand: depending on foreign customers [2] leaves the sector open to sanctions and shifting geopolitics.
• No law yet: the draft Space Activities Bill, 2017 [4] has still not been passed. So liability rules and security checks rest on policy, not law.

Safeguards that make reconciliation possible

• Pass a Space Activities Act that turns IN-SPACe's authorisation power under Indian Space Policy 2023 [5] into law, with security screening of foreign investors.
• Let the government act as an anchor customer (a guaranteed early buyer) [1], so domestic demand keeps firms in India.
• Keep full state control of core assets (navigation, launch ranges, defence satellites) and open only the commercial layers.

In short, autonomy today does not mean doing everything alone; it means choosing your dependencies with care. Graded FDI, a regulator backed by law and steady domestic demand can turn foreign capital and partners into a source of strength. That would support both national security and the goal of a USD 100 billion space economy by 2040 [2].