New Delhi [India], August 23 : India should emerge was as a global hub for space startups and attract talent from international markets, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said.
During an interaction with space startup CEOs, the Prime Minister emphasised that consistent government policies and trust would help encourage entrepreneurs to take risks and invest in emerging space technologies. He said the government's effort had been to create confidence that entrepreneurs would not be abandoned if their ventures faced setbacks.
The interaction highlighted the rapid expansion of India's private space ecosystem. One startup said it had successfully conducted the country's first private rocket launch on July 18 and plans to scale up to one launch every month by the middle of next year. The company said it has already built three factories with capacity for one rocket a month, with a longer-term ambition of reaching one launch a week and eventually several launches a day.
Indian startups are also moving beyond launch vehicles into advanced propulsion, satellite mobility, orbital servicing and space infrastructure. Companies are working towards developing satellite engines, robotic spacecraft capable of capturing and removing defunct satellites, and docking and in-space refuelling technologies aimed at eventually creating fuel stations in orbit.
The sector is also attracting global interest and Indian talent based overseas. Startup founders said professionals in the US and Europe are increasingly looking to return to India, while companies are gaining international traction and export opportunities.
PM Modi said India should create an ecosystem that attracts global talent to the country's space sector. "I believe we should create such an aura that people around the world feel that if they want to make a living in this field, they should go to India," he said.
Startups are also targeting new applications of space technology, including global ground-station networks, satellite-based agricultural solutions and space-based pharmaceutical manufacturing. One space-pharma startup is developing satellites capable of manufacturing pharmaceuticals in orbit before bringing them back to Earth.
The developments point to a broader shift in India's space sector, with private companies increasingly moving from launch services into higher-value technologies and global markets. The Prime Minister said the opening of the sector to private participation could help India build a stronger and more globally competitive space ecosystem in the coming years.