“Private investment in the (space) sector will lead to the creation of hi-tech jobs, which will provide a host of opportunities to the talent pool in IITs/NITs and other technical institutions,” Modi said in an interaction with startups, industries and academia from the space sector.
He said it was his firm belief that just like Indian talent has been able to attain worldwide fame in the IT sector, it will be able to do so in the space sector as well.
In June, India opened up its space sector, allowing private firms and startups to build satellites and rockets, besides offering space services to customers in the country and across the world.
The government also shifted all operational assets of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) to New Space India Ltd (NSIL), a commercial entity, and formed the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) as a regulator to ensure a level-playing field for the private sector.
Modi also underlined the significance of the space sector in communication and navigation.
Private industry and startups will be co-passengers with Isro in this age of space research, he said, expressing hope that the country would soon become the manufacturing hub of space assets.
The reforms in the space sector were not limited to ensuring ease of doing business, but necessary mechanisms have also been put in place to ensure help for participants at each stage, including making available testing facilities and launchpads, he said.
Through these reforms, the endeavour is not only to ensure India becomes a competitive space market, but also to ensure that the benefits of the space programme reach the poorest, he added.
Taking note of plans by companies to make rockets and satellites, the prime minister said this marked a big change that will further strengthen India’s foray into the space sector.
Modi also asked participants about the challenges and roadblocks in the reforms process and steps needed to remove them.
The participants included Isro chairman K Sivan, Bharti Enterprises chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal, L&T senior executive vice president for L&T’s defence business Jayant Patil, Agnikul Cosmos founder Srinath Ravichandran, Pawan Kumar Chandana from Skyroot Aerospace Ltd, Colonel H S Shankar from Alpha Design Technologies Pvt Ltd, Rakesh Verma from MapMyIndia, Awais Ahmed from Pixxel India and Srimathy Kesan from Space Kidz India.