*

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.