India, Sept. 6 -- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday rejected claims of a possible move to privatise the agency or reduce its role, days after reports said nine associations representing thousands of ISRO employees had sought clarification over a proposal to hand the space agency's manufacturing and operational work to private entities.

"These assertions are completely baseless and incorrect. We wish to categorically state that ISRO will neither be privatised nor will its importance be diminished," the space agency said in a statement.

The statement added, "ISRO will continue to remain India's principal institution for advanced space research and technology development, national and strategic missions, space science...