Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently met the founders and CEOs of 20 leading Indian space-tech startups at Seva Teerth in New Delhi, in a significant interaction aimed at strengthening India’s private space sector. Startups from the Telugu states, particularly Hyderabad, were among those that made their presence felt at the meeting.
Telugu Startups Make Their Mark
Hyderabad-based and Telugu-rooted space-tech companies featured prominently at the interaction. Among those represented were Skyroot Aerospace, whose founders Pawan Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka attended the meeting, along with Dhruva Space and Vassar Labs.
Modi Assures Full Govt Support
PM Modi praised the young entrepreneurs for venturing into the challenging space sector and taking risks at a time when India is opening up more opportunities for private players. He also appreciated their confidence in the government’s space-sector reforms.
The Prime Minister assured the industry of the Centre’s continued financial and technical support and reiterated his vision of making India a Global Space-tech Hub capable of attracting talent, technology and investment from around the world.
Focus on Real-World Applications
Modi urged startups to look beyond rockets and satellites and develop technologies that can directly improve people’s everyday lives. He particularly highlighted the potential of space technology in agriculture. Startups, he suggested, should work with agricultural universities to provide farmers with accurate, hyperlocal information on weather, crops and yields. He also encouraged companies working on space-debris removal to collaborate with environmental organisations and scale up their efforts.
To spark interest in space technology among children, the Prime Minister suggested that startups work with schools and make use of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) to expose students to new ideas and technologies at an early age. The meeting was also attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and IN-SPACe Chairman Pawan Goenka. For India’s emerging private space industry, the interaction was seen as a strong signal of the government’s continued push to build a globally competitive space ecosystem.
