Industry-led skill building key as India expands space and satellite economy: Experts

New Delhi [India], April 5 (ANI): India's push to expand its space economy is gathering pace, with industry-led capacity building emerging as a key pillar in the country's ambition to capture a larger share of the global space market. As the sector transitions towards a more commercially driven ecosystem, experts underline that skilled talent will play a decisive role in sustaining growth.
India is targeting a significant jump in its space economy, from USD 8.4 billion currently to USD 44 billion by 2033, aiming to raise its global share to around 8 per cent. With increasing private sector participation and scaling downstream applications, the demand for a trained workforce across satellite and geospatial domains is rising sharply.
Highlighting the importance of structured skill development, Lt Gen AK Bhatt (retd), Director General of the Indian Space Association, said, "As India's space economy expands across satellite communications, downstream applications and increasing private sector participation, the role of industry in structured capacity building becomes even more critical."
Satellite connectivity, a crucial component of the space ecosystem, is fast becoming integral to India's digital infrastructure. The domestic satellite communications market, valued at USD 4.3 billion in 2024, is projected to grow to USD 14.8 billion by 2033. This growth is expected to drive demand for professionals equipped with expertise in satellite systems, spectrum management, and integration with terrestrial networks.
In a step towards bridging the talent gap, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has partnered with global satellite communications firm Viasat to roll out a specialised training programme. The initiative, to be conducted under the proposed Telecom Innovation Research and Training Center at the Bharat Ratna Bhim Rao Ambedkar Institute of Telecom Training in Jabalpur, will focus on satellite technology and its applications.
Emphasising the need for future-ready talent, Ben Palmer, President - Commercial at Viasat, said, "Building a future-ready satellite-related talent pipeline is essential as India accelerates its digital and emerging-tech ambitions. With this first course, we aim to make high-quality satellite fundamentals accessible to students and professionals and over time expand to blended virtual and classroom programs."
The programme is designed for students, early-career professionals, and engineering graduates seeking foundational knowledge in satellite communications and related fields.
Industry leaders also point to curriculum reforms, hands-on training, and institutional collaborations as critical enablers of a resilient space ecosystem. Bhatt noted that such initiatives are laying the groundwork for an innovation-driven environment across space, satellite, and geospatial sectors.
Parallelly, India's geospatial sector is witnessing a transformation, aided by policy reforms such as the National Geospatial Policy 2022, which has liberalised access to geospatial data. The geospatial economy, currently estimated at Rs 50,000 crore, is expected to nearly double by 2030, further fuelling demand for GIS specialists and spatial analytics professionals.
Responding to this shift, Agendra Kumar, Managing Director of Esri India, said, "At Esri India, we are committed to nurturing the talent through our initiatives like Master Mentors Geo-Enabling Indian Scholars program, GIS Master's Scholarships, Young Scholar program. Industry leaders must actively support these kind of efforts by creating platforms and opportunities that enable young talent to transform ideas into measurable outcomes." (ANI)