Prime Minister Narendra Modi has interacted with the CEOs of 20 space startups, including Skyroot Aerospace, ahead of National Space Day (August 23) to mark the historic Chandrayaan-3 lunar landing.Urging young entrepreneurs to turn India into a global space hub, PM Modi called on startups to create an ecosystem strong enough to pull top global talent. “I believe that we can draw the entire talent pool because of you, and that will become our strength,” he said. He added that India’s competitive edge lies in its cost-efficiency, deep talent pool, and high risk tolerance.One of the founders said that Indians working abroad have begun returning due to the current boom in the sector.During the interaction, startup founders shared progress on several cutting-edge projects, including establishing global ground-station networks, building satellite engines, developing space-debris-removal robotics, and pioneering orbital docking and refuelling capabilities. One startup highlighted ongoing research into manufacturing pharmaceuticals in microgravity environments.Pawan Chandana, co-founder of Skyroot Aerospace, which recently became the first private Indian company to conduct an orbital launch, shared ambitious growth plans following their recent mission.“We already have three factories with the capacity to manufacture one rocket per month. By mid-next year, we plan to execute one launch per month, with the ultimate dream of scaling to multiple launches a day,” Chandana said, noting the company has already secured eight launch contracts, mostly from foreign clients.Startup leaders praised the government’s supportive policy framework since the sector opened to private players in 2020. Emphasising policy continuity, PM Modi assured entrepreneurs of unwavering support.Story continues below this ad“You have shown courage in a new space, and importantly, you have trusted the government. When we were opening up… whatever we decide, we should not make changes so that whoever is investing can trust that no one will leave my hand.”Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the problems with pervasive infectious conditions. She reported on the government’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme. Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports. Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country’s space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan. She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University’s Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor’s Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times. When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More Tags:indian space research