Narendra Modi Urges Space Startups to Expand Social Applications

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the CEOs and founders of 20 Indian space startups on August 21, 2026, at Seva Teerth in New Delhi. During the interaction, Modi urged companies such as Skyroot Aerospace and Agnikul Cosmos to expand their technological applications into everyday sectors, specifically agriculture, livestock management, dairy, and environmental conservation. He emphasized the goal of positioning India as a global hub for space technology, talent, and investment, suggesting partnerships between private firms and agricultural universities or environmental organizations.

To foster future interest in the sector, Modi called for collaboration with Atal Tinkering Labs to engage children and students. The participating startups, which operate in fields including rocket building, satellite technology, and space-debris removal, credited the government's decision to open the space sector to private participation for driving indigenous development and creating new innovation opportunities.

During a concurrent business conclave, IN-SPACe Chairman Vivek Goenka projected that India's space sector will grow from $8 billion to $44 billion by 2033. Goenka noted that $11 billion of this growth is expected from foreign customers and identified government demand, particularly in the defense sector, as a primary engine. He highlighted that the defense sector has already ordered 31 military surveillance satellites from the private sector.