For India, at this point in time, ISRO developing expertise with multiple launch technology is more important from the commercial perspective.

On December 16, ISRO demonstrated its growing capabilities with multiple burn fuel stage/rocket engine. In few years, ISRO is expected to put big primary payloads into different orbits by using a single rocket launcher.

The uniqueness of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) is to have a system with satellites in the geostationary orbit. India needs to exploit the ‘regional nature’ of the IRNSS to the fullest and effectively engage various states from Africa, Asia and Oceania region by using ‘satellite navigation diplomacy’.

For almost the last 50 years, space collaboration has significantly remained intact between France and India. They have worked together on a range of issues from satellite applications, developing small satellites to earth system science and weather satellites.

India and France must now develop a joint marketing strategy for satellite launches and also concentrate on the joint design and development of satellites for smaller developing countries.

The larger issue which the GSAT-12 launch brings to the fore is that of the mounting demand for satellite transponders and India’s capabilities in this regard.

ISRO needs to conduct a thorough enquiry particularly because failure in a time-tested and launch proven “stage one technology” is undesirable.

The PSVLC15 launch has enhanced India’s capability in the field of cartography and space reconnaissance and demonstrated its capabilities in the small satellites market.

India’s Space Programme has been contributing a lot towards bestowing ‘Soft Power’ status to the country over the last couple of years. The success of the PSLV-C9 mission on April 28, 2008 is the latest in this regard. In this mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) succeeded in placing ten satellites in space by using a single booster. This is a record given that till date no other country has put a cumulative weight of approximately 825 kilograms spread over ten different satellites in a single attempt into space.