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Astroscale ( ASRHF ) aims for Indian government clients, Japan unit chief Kato says

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Also interested in South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and Australia, Kato says

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India's space policy shift boosts commercial opportunities, crossborder tie-ups

By Kantaro Komiya and Nivedita Bhattacharjee

TOKYO/BENGALURU, March 21 (Reuters) - Japan's Astroscale ( ASRHF ) , a company specialised in removing orbital junk, has agreed with Bengaluru-based space companies Digantara and Bellatrix Aerospace to collaborate on technology and services, it said on Friday.

The tie-ups will "hopefully" result in an orbital services bid for Indian clients "in one to two years", which would mark Astroscale's ( ASRHF ) first operations in Asia-Pacific outside its home, its Japan unit president Eddie Kato said.

"India has been on our top list of possible markets" with established space capabilities, where Astroscale's ( ASRHF ) on-orbit servicing technology would meet demand, Kato told Reuters. Astroscale ( ASRHF ) is also interested in South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and Australia, he added.

"India's space policy used to be rather protectionist, but we've seen very rapid moves, to bolster ties with the United States and liberalise the market for commercial actors - even fostering them," Kato said.

The agreement did not contain any monetary terms.

India has opened the country's space sector beyond the state-owned Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to private players and created a 10 billion rupee ($116 million) fund to support startups.

At home, Astroscale ( ASRHF ) is working with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to demonstrate a commercial debris removal mission in 2027. It has also won orders from the U.S. Space Force and space agencies of Britain and France, which include experimental services to extend a satellite's lifespan.

As the number of orbiting satellites increases, potential collisions could create more than $500 million in risk over the next five years, according to an industry estimate.

Digantara provides space situational awareness services to monitor orbital objects and has contracts with multiple U.S. defence agencies. Bellatrix Aerospace manufactures satellite propulsion systems.

With the partners, Astroscale ( ASRHF ) would first provide on-orbit services for Indian government clients, Kato said.

The partnership would "help unlock new market opportunities across both established and emerging space economies," Digantara's Vice President Shreyas Mirji said in a statement.

It "marks a significant step for us as we venture into the Japanese market," said Bellatrix chief executive Rohan M Ganapathy.

The move was the latest of budding tie-ups between Japanese and Indian space companies, such as between moon explorer ispace and rocket maker Skyroot, as well as SKY Perfect JSAT ( SKPJF )-affiliated Orbital Lasers and robotics firm InspeCity.

The Indian and Japanese governments will hold their third round of "space dialogue" policy talks in Tokyo in coming days, officials say. (Reporting by Kantaro Komiya in Tokyo and Nivedita Bhattacharjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Gerry Doyle)