Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the establishment of a Rs 1,000 crore venture capital (VC) fund to propel the Indian space sector to new heights. In her seventh budget presentation, she emphasized the government's commitment to financing the space economy through this significant investment.
Rajaram, Managing Partner at Speciale Invest, expressed strong support for the initiative. "We strongly believe that an INR 1,000 crore fund for space startups and the space economy will catalyze India's dominance in the global space market", Rajaram stated. He added that the government's focus, coupled with the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy announced earlier this year, would encourage more investments both domestically and internationally.
Speciale Invest, an early and active investor in the space sector since 2018, has a portfolio that includes rocket maker Agnikul Cosmos, satellite manufacturers and earth observation companies Galaxeye Space and Kawa Space, communication player Astrogate Labs, and in-orbit economy firm InspeCity.
Lt. Gen. (Retd) AK Bhatt, Director General of the Indian Space Association (ISpA), welcomed the announcement, highlighting the government's vision to grow India's space economy fivefold in the next decade. He noted that establishing 12 industrial parks across India would significantly boost the space and satellite manufacturing industry, which has long advocated for the creation of space parks.
These measures, according to Bhatt, are crucial for the growth and development of India's space ecosystem. The Union Budget's focus on the space sector reflects a strong commitment to fostering innovation and expanding India's footprint in the global space market.