Private sector gaining ground in space ecosystem

Modi said opening the space sector to private players had led to the rise of more than 300 startups. "Infinity Campus is a reflection of India's new thought, innovation and youth power. Young people's innovation, risk-taking ability and entrepreneurship are touching new heights," he said.

He noted that India's space ecosystem was becoming attractive to global investors and that private talent in the sector was building its own identity worldwide. Modi traced India's space journey from its early days when rocket parts were transported on a bicycle to the creation of "the most trusted launch vehicle." The growth, he said, proved that determination shapes national aspirations.

Reforms extended to nuclear sector under consideration

Modi said the expanding relevance of the space sector in communication, weather prediction, urban planning and national security required long-term reforms. "That is why we have made historic reforms in the space sector, opened it to the private sector and framed a new space policy. We linked startups and industry to innovation and set up IN-SPACe," he said. He added that plans were being considered to open the nuclear sector to private participation as well.

State-of-the-art facility to build one rocket a month

Skyroot said the Infinity Campus will offer about 2 lakh sq ft of workspace for designing, developing, integrating and testing multiple launch vehicles, with the capacity to build one orbital rocket every month.

Founded by IIT alumni and former ISRO scientists Pawan Chandana and Bharath Dhaka, Skyroot became the first Indian private company to launch a sub-orbital rocket when it flew Vikram-S in November 2022. The rapid rise of private space enterprises is a result of reforms introduced by the NDA government, an earlier official release said.