New Delhi | ENewsxpress Desk:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi marking National Space Day on Sunday called on India’s private space sector to build a global aura that draws talent, companies and investment from around the world saying, “I believe we should create an aura where people from all over the world feel that if they want to build a life in this field they should come to India — join an Indian startup or the Indian space agency.”
Consistency in Policy Trust for Entrepreneurs
Interacting with CEOs and founders of 20 space startups on Friday, whose transcript was released Sunday Modi emphasised that predictable stable government policy was essential to giving entrepreneurs the confidence to take risks. “Whatever decisions we make we must remain consistent. We shouldn’t keep changing them that way anyone willing to take a risk can feel assured — knowing that if something goes wrong due to their own error that is one thing but no one will abandon them ” he said, praising the founders for their courage in entering a new and demanding sector.
India’s Competitive Advantages
The Prime Minister pointed to India’s cost competitiveness, deep talent pool and high risk‑taking capacity as advantages saying, “The world must now be looking for Indian startups asking who is there in this field.” He noted that Indian professionals working in the US and Europe were increasingly looking to return and join companies in India following the opening up of the space sector to participation.
Growth Momentum in the Sector
One founder told Modi that investor confidence had increased significantly following Skyroot Aerospace’s orbital rocket launch on July 18 with the company already fielding eight launch contracts — most of them international — in the month since. Startups also outlined plans to build ground‑station networks satellite‑based agricultural solutions and even space‑based pharmaceutical manufacturing in orbit. The participating companies included Skyroot Aerospace, Agnikul Cosmos, Pixxel, Dhruva Space, GalaxEye, PierSight, Bellatrix Aerospace, Digantara, SatSure and several others.
Beyond Space: Broader Applications Urged
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office Modi assured space entrepreneurs of full government support and urged them to explore how space technology could benefit agriculture, livestock management, dairy and environmental monitoring while also calling for greater collaboration between space companies and other sectors, including Atal Tinkering Labs to spark interest in space among children.
Background: National Space Day
National Space Day is celebrated annually to commemorate the Chandrayaan‑3 mission’s soft landing on the lunar surface on August 23 2023. Since the Indian Space Policy 2023 opened the space value chain to participation the sector has grown to include more, than 300 private startups.
Note: This report is based on the Prime Minister’s Office statement and the transcript of the interaction released on August 23.
