New Delhi

PrimeMinister Narendra Modi on Friday interacted with CEOs and founders of 20 Indian space startups and called for greater collaboration to position India as a global hub for space technology.

The interaction at Seva Teerth brought together companies working on rockets, reusable semi-cryogenic launch vehicles, avionics, satellites, advanced propulsion, space and defence intelligence, space debris removal and AI-powered weather and climate intelligence.

The startup founders highlighted the rapid progress of India’s private space sector and their efforts to develop indigenous capabilities and technologies. They also said government support and collaboration among companies were helping create a strong ecosystem for the industry.

Modi congratulated the founders on their initiative and said the confidence shown by private companies had strengthened the vision behind opening the space sector to private participation.

He pointed out that many countries either lack the resources to invest in space or do not wish to make such investments, creating a major opportunity for India to strengthen its position in the global space industry. The Prime Minister also urged companies to explore new applications of their technologies and develop solutions that can improve people’s lives. He called for greater collaboration between space startups and companies in other sectors. Space debris companies, for instance, could work with environmental organisations, while firms developing space technologies for agriculture could partner with agricultural universities and government departments to help farmers improve productivity.