'You Have Shown Courage': PM Modi Lauds India's Space Startups

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised India’s growing space startup ecosystem, saying young companies had demonstrated courage by entering a relatively new and challenging sector. During an interaction with chief executives and founders of 20 space startups, Modi stressed the importance of consistent government policies, saying stability can give entrepreneurs confidence to take risks and invest in long-term projects. He also called for creating an environment that attracts talented professionals from across the world to India’s expanding space industry.

Modi said the government’s approach should provide entrepreneurs with confidence that they will not be abandoned because of setbacks arising from genuine business or technological risks. He highlighted policy consistency as an important factor in encouraging companies to innovate and build capabilities in the space sector. According to the Prime Minister, India’s cost competitiveness, availability of skilled professionals and willingness to take risks can help the country establish a stronger position in the global space industry.

The Prime Minister also expressed confidence that India could become a major destination for international talent working in space technology. He suggested creating an ecosystem where professionals from different countries would consider joining Indian startups or the country’s space agency. Modi said India's combination of technical talent and relatively competitive costs could give it an advantage as the global space economy expands, while encouraging domestic companies to continue developing innovative technologies and applications.

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During the interaction, Modi urged space companies to look beyond traditional applications and explore ways their technologies could directly improve people's lives. He encouraged greater collaboration between space startups and organisations in other sectors. For instance, companies developing technologies to address space debris could work with environmental organisations, while businesses developing satellite-based agricultural solutions could cooperate with agricultural universities and government departments to help farmers make better decisions and improve productivity.

Modi further called for the creation of an ecosystem that would make India a prominent destination whenever the world looks towards the space sector. He also highlighted the importance of introducing young students to space technology at an early age and suggested stronger collaboration between space startups and Atal Tinkering Labs. Such initiatives, he said, could encourage curiosity among children and help develop a future talent pool capable of contributing to India's space ambitions.

The meeting was attended by representatives of 20 startups, including Skyroot Aerospace, Agnikul Cosmos, Pixxel, Dhruva Space, GalaxEye, PierSight, Bellatrix Aerospace, Digantara, SatSure, Suhora Technologies, Manastu Space, Astrobase, TakeMe2Space, VyomIC, Cosmoserve Space, OrbitAID Aerospace, SkyServe, Serendipity Space, Vassar Labs and mistEO. The interaction comes as private participation continues to expand across India's space sector. The Indian Space Policy 2023 opened the wider space value chain to private companies, covering areas such as satellite manufacturing, launch services, space applications and downstream services.

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