Question : Homegrown Satellites

(a) whether India’s space agency planned to build 17 homegrown satellites in 2019 and it, however, managed to deliver only about half due to shortage of electronic parts;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the absence of a robust homegrown electronics ecosystem is hurting the ambitious targets set by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) which has lined up more than 60 missions over the next five years; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and the remedial steps taken by the Government in this regard?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PG & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH):

(a) & (b)
No, it is not true that ISRO could not deliver the targeted number of satellite in 2019 merely due to shortage of electronic parts.

(c) The challenge in timely launch of satellites is multi-faceted and has many reasons. The shortage of electronic components is only one of these reasons. Other reasons are
• Patented and monopolistic manufacturer driven technologies associated with parts, components and devices
• Design changes required to make the system more robust and based on on-orbit observations – this is an evolving process during the course of a particular satellite project
• Configuration changes required in response to updates in the user requirements
• Technical issues related to the manufacture of hardware
• Technical issues faced in the course of assembly, integration and testing of hardware
• Obsolescence of parts, components or materials
(d) The remedial steps taken by the department towards a robust homegrown electronics ecosystem are as follows:
• Development of indigenous vendors capable of design, fabrication and testing of hi-tech electronics hardware
• Fostering an environment conducive for transfer of technology from within ISRO to Indian industry

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