THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, AUGUST 21, 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called on India’s rapidly expanding private space industry to look beyond the frontiers of exploration and launch a new wave of applications that can directly transform everyday life, as he urged startups to build wider partnerships across sectors and help position the country as a global hub for space technology, talent and investment.

Modi interacted with CEOs and founders of 20 space startups at Seva Teerth here earlier in the day, in a meeting that brought together entrepreneurs working across a wide spectrum of emerging space technologies, including rockets, reusable semi-cryogenic launch vehicles, avionics, satellites, advanced propulsion systems, space and defence intelligence, space-debris removal and AI-powered hyperlocal weather and climate intelligence.

The startup leaders highlighted the rapid strides being made by India’s private space industry and shared their vision for the sector’s future. They said their companies had invested significant time and effort in developing capabilities and technologies indigenously, while expressing gratitude for the support extended by the Prime Minister and the government.

The founders also underlined the strong government backing and growing collaboration within the industry, saying their teams were highly motivated and working with determination to pursue ambitious goals in the space sector.

They recalled that the opening of the space sector to private participation had generated considerable enthusiasm and created new opportunities for industry. Several companies have also shown interest in adopting and leveraging technologies developed by India’s emerging private space industry, they said.

Congratulating the space-sector leaders for displaying courage and taking the lead in a new and challenging domain, Modi said the confidence demonstrated by the industry had strengthened the vision behind opening the space sector to private participation.

The Prime Minister noted that many countries either lack the ability to invest in the space sector or do not wish to make such investments, creating a major opportunity for India to rapidly strengthen its position in the global space economy.

He encouraged space companies to explore newer applications of their technologies and focus on ways in which innovations developed by the sector could make people's lives easier.

Stressing the importance of cross-sectoral partnerships, Modi suggested greater collaboration between space startups and companies operating in other fields. Companies developing technologies to tackle space debris, for instance, could work with environmental organisations to scale up their solutions, he said.

Similarly, space technology companies working in agriculture could collaborate with agricultural universities and government departments to enable farmers to take better-informed decisions and maximise their output, the Prime Minister suggested.

Modi called for the creation of an ecosystem in which the world automatically looks towards India whenever it thinks of space.

India’s space sector, he said, has the potential to become a magnet for global talent, companies and investment, further strengthening the country's position in the rapidly evolving global space landscape.

He also called for closer collaboration between space startups and Atal Tinkering Labs, saying such engagement could spark curiosity about space and encourage young children to develop an early interest in the sector.

The interaction was attended by CEOs and founders of 20 space 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 (Hyspace), Serendipity Space, Vassar Labs and mistEO.