India to Set Up Space Laboratories in Universities as Private Space Investment Crosses USD 600 Million

New Delhi, April 26: India is preparing to take its space reforms deeper into classrooms, laboratories and campuses, with the government reviewing plans to establish space laboratories in universities and colleges across the country. In the first phase, seven such laboratories are expected to be set up, giving students hands-on exposure to satellite systems, rocketry, payload design and mission planning.

Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, reviewed the plan during a briefing by IN-SPACe Chairman Dr Pawan Goenka. The initiative is aimed at creating a skilled talent pipeline for India’s fast-expanding private space ecosystem, which has attracted more than USD 600 million in private investment over the last five years.

The move comes at a time when India’s space sector is undergoing a major structural transformation. Since the sector was opened to non-government entities, private participation has grown sharply across launch vehicles, satellite manufacturing, payload development, ground infrastructure, space-based data services and emerging in-orbit technologies. According to the government, the number of Indian space startups has grown from single digits in 2019 to more than 400 by early 2026.

To support this momentum, the government is operationalising a ₹1,000 crore venture capital fund through SIDBI for growth-stage space startups. A separate ₹500 crore Technology Adoption Fund is being used to help early-stage innovations move towards commercially viable products. Startups at the ideation and prototype stage are also being supported through a seed fund scheme that offers grants of up to ₹1 crore, along with mentoring and ecosystem support.

India is also focusing strongly on workforce development. So far, 17 specialised training programmes have been completed, certifying nearly 900 participants in areas such as satellite manufacturing, launch vehicle systems and space cybersecurity. The proposed university-level space laboratories are expected to expand this effort by allowing students to work directly with practical space technologies instead of learning only through theory.

On the infrastructure side, the government is pushing new opportunities through a privately led Earth Observation satellite constellation under a public-private partnership model, the development of a shared satellite bus platform for startups, and wider access to design, integration and testing facilities at the IN-SPACe Technical Centre in Ahmedabad. Technology transfer programmes, including work linked to the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle, are also moving ahead with industry participation.

India’s international space engagement is also expanding, with partnerships now covering more than 45 countries. Recent collaborations include agreements with Singapore and the UAE, participation of Indian companies in global space forums, and efforts to connect domestic startups with international markets.

Since its creation, IN-SPACe has received more than 1,000 applications from startups, MSMEs, academic institutions and industry players. It has granted 129 authorisations so far, reflecting growing confidence in India’s reformed space ecosystem and the rising role of private enterprise in the country’s space ambitions.

Source: PIB