NY Times hails ‘explosive’ growth of Indian space-tech start-ups
NASA and ISRO to develop strategic framework for human spaceflight cooperation by the year-end
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With at least 140 registered space-tech startups, India stands to transform the planet’s connection to the final frontier, says The New York Times.
The report highlighted the startups in India with ambitious plans for capitalising on the burgeoning demand of small satellites in low Earth orbits.
The startups featured are Skyroot Aerospace, Dhruva Space and Pixxel, all of which are among a cluster of startups that have been actively and closely working with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
“Suddenly India has become home to at least 140 registered space-tech start-ups, comprising a local research field that stands to transform the planet’s connection to the final frontier. It certainly ranks as one of India’s most sought-after sectors for venture capital investors, opines the report.
“The startups’ growth has been explosive, leaping from five when the pandemic started. And they see a big market to serve,” it added. In keeping with the tempo, the government has opened up the space sector for private players.
Earlier this year, ISRO and Microsoft announced a collaboration to fuel the growth of space technology startups in the country.
Last month, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the US, the White House said that Modi and US President Joe Biden “called for enhanced commercial collaboration between the U.S. and Indian private sectors in the entire value chain of the space economy”.
NYT reports, “both countries see space as an arena in which India can emerge as a counterweight to their mutual rival: China”.
