New Delhi, 13 August 2026: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is very serious about the problem of increasing space debris due to the expansion of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations and satellite internet. Dr., Minister of State for Employees, Public Grievances and Pension and Prime Minister's Office. Giving this information in a written reply given in Rajya Sabha, Jitendra Singh had said that the government is taking all possible steps to solve and prevent this problem. The Minister had said that ISRO's 'Debris Free Space Mission' will play a major role in protecting space assets through active debris removal and other means and in preventing more waste generation.
Dr. Jitendra Singh clarified that satellite constellations for internet connectivity contain thousands of satellites, due to which the risk of collision in orbital areas increases significantly. Larger constellations have automatic collision avoidance capabilities, but some satellites lose the ability to maneuver due to failure in orbit. Additionally, small, untrackable debris can cause serious damage to missions.
India has played an important role globally in monitoring and mitigating space debris. ISRO has been a member of the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee since 1996. Additionally, India is actively represented on international platforms such as UN-COPUOS, IADC, UN-STSC Working Group and ISO Working Group, where discussions take place on waste mitigation and spaceflight safety.
Indian space policy mandates the adoption of internationally recognized guidelines on space debris mitigation. The ISRO-led 'Debris Free Space Mission' initiative is a proactive step towards safe disposal of satellites at the end of their life. The standards announced by IN-SPACe in 2024 encourage all Indian astronauts to take appropriate post-mission recovery measures.
Emphasizing the importance of space situational awareness, data sharing, international cooperation and indigenous capacity building (self-reliance), the Minister said that all these things are essential to protect space assets and limit the generation of waste.
