Interaction on National Space Day
Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the chief executives and founders of 20 Indian space startups at Seva Teerth in Delhi on the occasion of National Space Day, according to multiple reports including The Economic Times, Lokmat Times and The Tribune. The meeting, described across outlets as taking place on the third National Space Day, brought together companies working in launch vehicles, satellites, earth observation, in-space mobility, satellite servicing, robotics, ground stations and related fields.
In a post on X that included video of the interaction, Modi said he had met India’s brightest space startups and come away impressed by their energy and ambition. ANI, Hindustan Times, Deccan Chronicle and Republic World all carried the post, in which he invited public views on what excites people most about India’s space journey. Daily Excelsior reported a separate National Space Day greeting in which Modi urged the nation to dream bigger, innovate more and push newer frontiers, while noting the growing contribution of young engineers, designers, coders and scientists alongside private talent.
Praise for courage and trust in policy
Modi lauded the startups for showing courage in a new sector, a characterisation repeated by ANI, Hindustan Times, Deccan Chronicle and Republic World. He underlined that the entrepreneurs had placed their trust in the government. “The most important thing is that you placed your trust in the government. My view has always been that whatever decisions we make, we must remain consistent. We shouldn’t keep changing them constantly; that way, anyone willing to take a risk can feel assured,” he said, according to accounts in ANI, The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and several other outlets.
The Economic Times framed the emphasis on policy stability as especially relevant for a capital-intensive industry, noting that consistent decisions give assurance to risk-takers. Lokmat Times and The Tribune similarly reported Modi’s stress on consistency so that entrepreneurs can invest without fear of abrupt policy shifts. Founders present expressed gratitude for government support and highlighted indigenous capability development, as conveyed by Lokmat Times.
Creating an ‘aura’ for global talent
Central to Modi’s remarks was a call to create an environment that draws space professionals from around the world. “I believe we should create an aura where people from all over the world feel that if they want to build a life in this field, they should come to India—join an Indian startup or the Indian space agency. I am convinced that we can attract this entire talent pool like a magnet,” he said, language carried by The Economic Times, ANI, Deccan Chronicle, Hindustan Times, Republic World and The Tribune.
He pointed to India’s cost competitiveness, the quality of its talent pool and a high national capacity for risk-taking as structural advantages that could help the country carve out a rapid niche. The Economic Times and Lokmat Times reported that founders told the prime minister of growing international interest and of professionals in the United States and Europe who wished to return. Modi described the return of talent that had earlier moved abroad as encouraging for India’s space ambitions, according to The Tribune and The Economic Times.
He also said the world should reach a point of searching for Indian startups whenever breakthroughs occur. “The world must now be searching for Indian startups, wondering, ‘Who are the players in this?’” he remarked, as reported by Lokmat Times and The Tribune. Broader coverage from ANI and others recorded his aspiration that when the world thinks of the space sector it should look towards India.
Everyday applications and cross-sector ties
Modi encouraged the companies to explore new applications of space technology that make people’s lives easier. He suggested concrete forms of collaboration: firms working on space debris could partner with environmental organisations, while those applying space tools to agriculture could work with agricultural universities and departments so farmers can make better-informed decisions. These examples appeared in ANI, Deccan Chronicle, Hindustan Times, Republic World and Lokmat Times.
He called for closer engagement with Atal Tinkering Labs to spark early curiosity about space among children, and for wider collaboration among startups, space agencies and the broader technology ecosystem. The Tribune and Lokmat Times emphasised the collaborative theme as part of positioning India as a global hub.
Startups present and policy backdrop
The 20 participating startups named across ANI, Deccan Chronicle, Hindustan Times, Republic World and The Economic Times included Skyroot Aerospace, Agnikul Cosmos, Pixxel, Dhruva Space, GalaxEye, PierSight, Bellatrix Aerospace, Digantara, SatSure, Suhora Technologies, Manastu Space, Astrobase, TakeMe2Space, VyomIC, Cosmoserve Space, OrbitAID Aerospace, SkyServe (Hyspace), Serendipity Space, Vassar Labs and mistEO. The Economic Times noted that private industry is expanding beyond satellites into launch vehicles and specialised commercial technologies, with startups already eyeing global markets.
Several outlets, including ANI, Deccan Chronicle, Hindustan Times and Republic World, linked the interaction to the Indian Space Policy 2023, which opened the entire space value chain to private participation. That policy framework, together with the startups’ energy and the government’s stated commitment to consistency, formed the backdrop Modi presented for India’s bid to become both a magnet for global talent and a source of internationally competitive space businesses.
Modi’s message combined domestic aspiration with outward ambition: build an ecosystem strong enough to pull talent home and from abroad, maintain the policy stability that underwrites risk, and ensure Indian startups become the names the world seeks when space breakthroughs arrive.