New Delhi

PrimeMinister Narendra Modi on Friday called for wider use of space technologies to address everyday challenges and urged India’s burgeoning private space industry to forge stronger partnerships with other sectors to create new opportunities.

Modi made the remarks during an interaction with the CEOs and founders of 20 space startups at Seva Teerth, where he reviewed the growth and emerging potential of India’s private space ecosystem. According to a PMO release, the startups represented diverse areas of the space economy, including rocket and reusable semi-cryogenic launch vehicle development, avionics, satellites, advanced propulsion systems, space and defence intelligence, space-debris management and artificial intelligence-based hyperlocal weather and climate intelligence. The startup leaders briefed the Prime Minister on the rapid progress of the private space industry and their efforts to develop advanced capabilities and technologies within India. They also highlighted the increasing interest from organisations around the world in adopting and leveraging technologies developed by Indian space companies.The CEOs said the government’s decision to open the space sector to private participation had generated considerable enthusiasm and created multiple new opportunities for entrepreneurs. They also appreciated the support extended by the government and spoke about growing collaboration within the industry.

Congratulating the entrepreneurs for entering and expanding in a relatively new area, Modi said the confidence demonstrated by private space companies had reinforced the vision behind opening the sector to private participation. The Prime Minister pointed out that several countries either lacked the resources to invest in space or were not inclined to make such investments, arguing that this provided India with a significant opportunity to strengthen its position in the global space industry.

He urged the companies to explore applications beyond their existing areas of work and focus on how space technologies could make people’s lives easier. Modi also stressed the importance of closer cooperation between space companies and organisations working in other sectors.

Citing examples, he suggested that companies developing technologies to tackle space debris could collaborate with environmental organisations to expand their applications. Similarly, space technology firms working in agriculture could partner with agricultural universities and government departments to help farmers take better-informed decisions and improve productivity.