Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Skyroot’s Infinity Campus in Hyderabad, Telangana via video conferencing today. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the Prime Minister remarked that today the nation is witnessing an unprecedented opportunity in the space sector and highlighted that India’s space ecosystem is experiencing a major leap with the private sector taking flight. He emphasized that Skyroot’s Infinity Campus reflects India’s new thinking, innovation, and youth power, and underlined that the innovation, risk-taking ability, and entrepreneurship of the country’s youth are reaching new heights. Shri Modi stated that today’s program is a reflection of how India will emerge as a leader in the global satellite launch ecosystem in the coming times. He extended his best wishes to Shri Pawan Kumar Chandana and Shri Naga Bharath Daka, noting that the two young entrepreneurs are an inspiration for countless young space entrepreneurs across the country. He stressed that both of them trusted themselves, did not shy away from taking risks, and as a result the entire nation is witnessing their success today, with the country feeling proud of them.

Pointing out that India’s space journey began with limited resources but emphasized that the nation’s ambitions were never limited, Shri Modi remarked that from carrying rocket parts on a bicycle to developing the world’s most reliable launch vehicles, India has proven that the height of dreams is determined not by resources but by resolve. “ISRO has for decades given new wings to India’s space journey and stressed that credibility, capacity, and value have established India’s distinct identity in the sector”, exclaimed the Prime Minister.

Noting that in the changing times, Shri Modi remarked that the expansion of the space sector is evident, as it has become the foundation for communication, agriculture, marine monitoring, urban planning, weather prediction and national security. He stated that this is why historic reforms were undertaken in India’s space sector, with the government opening it to private innovation and preparing a new Space Policy. Shri Modi further remarked that efforts were made to connect startups and industry with innovation, and IN-SPACe was established to provide ISRO’s facilities and technology to startups. “In just the past six to seven years, India has transformed its space sector into an open, cooperative, and innovation-driven ecosystem”, emphasised the Prime Minister, stating that today’s program is a reflection of this transformation.

Emphasising that India’s youth always place national interest above all and make the best use of every opportunity, Shri Modi remarked that when the government opened the space sector, the country’s youth, especially the Gen-Z generation, came forward to take full advantage of it. He highlighted that today more than 300 space startups are giving new hopes to India’s space future, and noted that most of these startups began with small teams—sometimes two people, sometimes five, sometimes in a small rented room—with limited resources but with determination to reach new heights. “This spirit has given birth to the Private Space Revolution in India”, underlined the Prime Minister, stating that Gen-Z engineers, designers, coders, and scientists are creating new technologies, whether in propulsion systems, composite materials, rocket stages, or satellite platforms, and stressed that India’s youth are working in areas that were unimaginable just a few years ago. He remarked that India’s private space talent is establishing a distinct identity across the world and added that today, for global investors, India’s space sector is becoming an attractive destination.

Underscoring that the demand for small satellites is continuously increasing across the world and noted that launch frequencies are also rising, Shri Modi remarked that new companies are entering the field to provide satellite services and emphasized that space has now established itself as a strategic asset. He underlined that in the coming years the global space economy is set to grow manifold, and stressed that this represents a very significant opportunity for India’s youth.

“India possesses space sector capabilities that only a few countries in the world have, noting the presence of expert engineers, a high-quality manufacturing ecosystem, world-class launch sites, and a mindset that encourages innovation”, exclaimed the Prime Minister emphasizing that India’s space capability is both cost-effective and reliable, which is why the world has high expectations from the country. He remarked that global companies want to manufacture satellites in India, avail launch services from India, and seek technology partnerships with India, and therefore stressed that the nation must make the most of this opportunity.

The Prime Minister remarked that the changes being witnessed in the space sector are part of the broader startup revolution taking place in India. He highlighted that over the past decade, a new wave of startups has emerged across diverse sectors such as FinTech, AgriTech, HealthTech, ClimateTech, EduTech and DefenseTech, with India’s youth, particularly the Gen-Z generation, providing innovative solutions in every field. Lauding the Gen-Z generation of India, the PM said that their creativity, positive mindset and capacity building abilities can be a source of inspiration for the Gen-Z generation of the world. Shri Modi emphasized that India has now become the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem and noted that there was a time when startups were confined to a few big cities, but today they are emerging from small towns and villages as well. He underlined that the country now has more than 1.5 lakh registered startups, with many of them having achieved unicorn status.

Underscoring that India is no longer confined to apps and services and is now advancing rapidly towards deep-tech, manufacturing, and hardware innovation, the Prime Minister thanked the Gen-Z generation. He highlighted the semiconductor sector as an example, noting that the historic steps taken by the government are strengthening the foundation of India’s tech future. Shri Modi further emphasized that semiconductor fabrication units, chip manufacturing, and design hubs are developing across the country, and underlined that from chips to systems, India is building a strong electronics value chain. He stated that this is not only part of the resolve for self-reliance but will also make India a strong and reliable pillar of the global supply chain.

The Prime Minister remarked that the scope of reforms is continuously expanding and highlighted that just as space innovation was opened to the private sector, India is now moving towards opening the nuclear sector as well. He emphasized that a strong role for the private sector is being laid in this field, which will create opportunities in small modular reactors, advanced reactors, and nuclear innovation. He underlined that this reform will give new strength to India’s energy security and technological leadership.

Emphasising that the future will depend greatly on the research being carried out today, the Prime Minister underscored that the government is focused on providing maximum opportunities for youth in research. He highlighted the establishment of the National Research Foundation to support modern research and noted that the “One Nation, One Subscription” initiative has made access to international journals easier for all students. He underlined that the ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development, and Innovation Fund will provide significant support to youth across the country. Shri Modi stated that more than 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs have already been set up to instill a spirit of research and innovation among students, and added that work is underway to establish 50,000 new labs in the coming days. He stressed that these efforts are laying the foundation for new innovations in India and declared that the coming era belongs to India, its youth, and its innovations. He recalled that a few months ago, on the occasion of Space Day, he had spoken about India’s space aspirations and affirmed that within the next five years India will take its launch capacity to new heights and create five new unicorns in the space sector. He remarked that the progress of the Skyroot team makes it certain that India will achieve every goal it has set.

The Prime Minister assured every young person, every startup, scientist, engineer, and entrepreneur that the government stands firmly with them at every step. He once again congratulated the entire Skyroot team and extended his best wishes to all those who are giving new momentum to India’s space journey. He concluded by calling upon everyone to make the 21st century the century of India, whether on Earth or in space.

Union Minister, Shri G Kishan Reddy was present among other dignitaries at the event.

Background

Indian space startup Skyroot’s Infinity Campus,  is a state-of-the-art facility with around 200,000 square feet workspace for designing, developing, integrating and testing multiple launch vehicles, with a capacity to build one orbital rocket every month. 

Skyroot is India’s leading private space company, founded by Pawan Chandana and Bharath Dhaka, both alumni of Indian Institutes of Technology and former scientists of ISRO turned entrepreneurs. In November 2022, Skyroot launched its sub-orbital rocket, Vikram-S, becoming the first Indian private company to launch a rocket to space.

The rapid rise of private space enterprises is a testament to the success of the transformative reforms carried out by the Government in the last few years, reinforcing India’s leadership as a confident and capable global space power.

****

MJPS/SR