THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

MYSURU, NOVEMBER 13, 2026

The government's decision to open up the space sector has created new avenues for private players and provided Indian startups with unprecedented opportunities to showcase their capabilities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday, asserting that the initiative reflects the scientific spirit of a New India driven by innovation, research and technological advancement.

Inaugurating the COSMOS-Mysuru Planetarium, India's first LED dome planetarium, in Mysuru, Karnataka, Modi said the country's expanding space ecosystem was encouraging private enterprises and young innovators to undertake ambitious ventures, including launching private rockets, placing satellites into orbit and developing new technologies.

He said India's space sector had witnessed remarkable transformation over the past decade, with the government creating an enabling environment for research, innovation and greater private sector participation.

The Prime Minister said India's progress in astronomy, astrophysics and space exploration demonstrated the country's growing technological capabilities, citing landmark achievements such as Chandrayaan-3's historic landing near the Moon's South Pole and the launch of Aditya-L1, India's first space-based solar observatory.

He also highlighted India's achievement last year in demonstrating space docking and undocking capabilities, making it the fourth country in the world to accomplish the feat.

Referring to the recent journey of an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station, Modi said the experiments conducted during the mission and the experience gained would prove valuable for India's ambitious human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan.

Emphasising that India's space programme has always been guided by the principle of 'Humanity First', he said space technology was increasingly being harnessed to improve people's lives on Earth.

Citing the satellite-based communication system developed by ISRO for fishermen, the Prime Minister said it enables authorities to issue timely alerts to fishing boats during storms and track their safe return to shore.

He also referred to the Real-Time Train Tracking System developed jointly by Indian Railways and ISRO, as well as the use of satellite imagery and field-level information under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to assess crop yields and facilitate insurance claims.

"Today our satellites are touching the heights of space, and at the same time, they are being used to make the lives of people better on Earth," he said.

Highlighting the importance of nurturing scientific temper among young people, Modi said Indian students had demonstrated exceptional talent at international science competitions whenever provided with adequate resources, technology and institutional support.

He recalled India's impressive performance at the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics in Vietnam, where four of the five-member Indian contingent won gold medals and one secured a silver medal.

He also congratulated Indian students for their outstanding achievements at this year's International Olympiads in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, saying the COSMOS Planetarium would further inspire young minds to pursue scientific careers and explore new frontiers of knowledge.

The Prime Minister noted that the national motto had evolved from 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' to 'Jai Vigyan', with the addition of 'Jai Anusandhan' during his tenure, reflecting the importance accorded to research and innovation in 21st-century India.

Describing the inauguration of the planetarium as another milestone in India's scientific journey, Modi said Mysuru had a distinguished legacy of promoting education and knowledge institutions, recalling the contributions of Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar and the Wadiyar royal family to the establishment of the University of Mysore and the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru.

He observed that the traditions of spirituality and science had always progressed together in India, drawing a parallel between the recently inaugurated Viveka Smaraka and the new planetarium.

While the Viveka Smaraka inspires introspection and spiritual pursuit, the COSMOS Planetarium encourages people to look towards the skies and understand the mysteries of the universe, he said.

Recalling India's rich astronomical heritage, Modi said ancient Indian scholars had made remarkable discoveries about planetary movements, celestial bodies, calendars and solar and lunar eclipses despite the absence of modern instruments and technologies.

He specifically mentioned the contributions of renowned astronomers Aryabhata, Varahamihira, Bhaskaracharya and Nilakantha Somayaji.

The Prime Minister further outlined the government's efforts to strengthen the country's research and innovation ecosystem through initiatives such as Atal Tinkering Labs, One Nation One Subscription and the Anusandhan National Research Foundation.

He said more than one crore students had benefited from over 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs established across the country, providing children with opportunities to experiment, develop ideas and pursue innovation.

The One Nation One Subscription initiative, he said, was helping educational and research institutions gain access to leading international scientific journals, while the Anusandhan National Research Foundation was supporting universities in undertaking advanced research.

Modi also recalled the launch of the Rs 1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation Scheme last year, aimed at ensuring sustained financial support for domestic researchers and facilitating the transition of new technologies from laboratories to practical applications.

Stressing that no country could afford to move slowly amid rapid technological changes across the world, he said India's scientific ambitions required continuous investment in research, modern infrastructure and young talent.

Concluding his address, the Prime Minister said planetariums and science centres had an important role in igniting curiosity among children and inspiring the next generation of scientists.

He urged the authorities associated with COSMOS to regularly bring school and college students from across the region to the facility, expressing hope that some of the young visitors would eventually return as accomplished researchers with new discoveries about the universe.

He congratulated the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, the University of Mysore, various government departments and all those associated with the construction of the state-of-the-art facility, and extended his best wishes for its future endeavours.