This expanded article provides a detailed account of the interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CEOs of Indian space startups, discussing ambitious goals and the need for predictable policymaking. The discussion highlighted several promising developments and India’s competitive advantages in the global space sector.
On August 23, 2026, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi interacted with CEOs of Indian space startups, lauding their courage in venturing into a new sector. Notably, a CEO from Skyroot described the company as India’s first space-tech unicorn, following the successful July 18 launch of India’s first private rocket, which deployed satellites.
During the interaction, the Prime Minister underlined the importance of creating trust through predictable policymaking, so that those taking risks remained assured that they would not be abandoned even if something went wrong because of their own mistakes. Three factories for producing one rocket per month have already been established by space startups.
Highlighting the growing confidence generated by India’s emerging private space ecosystem, an entrepreneur reported increased investor confidence following Skyroot’s first launch and a pathway that proved useful. Another CEO received eight launch contracts in the last one month, most of them international.
The Prime Minister also focused on the opportunity for India to become a global hub for space talent and innovation. An encouraging trend was highlighted by a CEO, who said that after the opening up of the space industry, Indian citizens based in the US and Europe were seeking to return and work with Indian companies. The Prime Minister enquired about investor confidence following Skyroot’s first launch and whether the pathway created by it was proving useful.
The CEO said investor confidence had increased following the launch and that the pathway was proving very useful. Another CEO, whose company manufactures engines that move satellites from one place to another in space and enable them to operate for periods ranging from five to 15 years, stated that the company had received strong global traction and referred to Government support for enabling Indian companies to export.
Towards the conclusion of the interaction, a CEO presented the Prime Minister with a memento and explained that it showed the beauty of India as seen through a private satellite following the opening up of the sector to private participation.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
