ISRO Chief Calls on CSIR to Strategize for Minimizing Mineral and Material Imports

Quick Summary

• ISRO chairman’s call for self-reliance: V. Narayanan, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), urged CSIR laboratories to create a roadmap to achieve near-zero dependence on imports of critical minerals and materials within 10 years.
• Importance of indigenous production: Narayanan emphasized the need for an inventory of imported minerals and materials and the development of domestic production capabilities,including metallic,composite,carbon-carbon,and thermo-protection materials.
• India’s progress in space technology: He highlighted India’s growth from humble beginnings in space exploration to equal partnerships with developed nations. The recent NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar Mission (NISAR) launch was described as a key milestone.
• Golden jubilee conclave gathering: The event was organized by CSIR-NIIST in Thiruvananthapuram as part of its golden jubilee conclave series on critical minerals. Notable participants included leaders from CSIR-linked institutions like IMMT and NML.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The ISRO chairman’s push for reducing import dependency on critical minerals speaks directly to india’s broader strategic goals of self-reliance (“Atmanirbhar Bharat”). These materials are essential not only for space missions but also across industries such as defense and renewable energy.Achieving this will require concerted efforts from research institutions, industry players, and policymaking bodies.

Narayanan’s recognition of India’s journey from basic launch systems gifted by foreign nations to co-leading major initiatives like NISAR highlights significant advancements made over decades. However, meeting his enterprising timeline demands focused investment in both technological innovation and resource mapping-especially given global supply chain disruptions often linked to geopolitical factors.

The collaboration between scientific institutions at this conclave demonstrates growing awareness around this challenge but also signals potential groundwork towards achieving mineral self-sufficiency essential for sustaining India’s economic momentum while advancing technological independence.

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