From L to R: Dr Pawan Goenka- Chairman IN-SPACe, Lochan Sehra, IAS, Joint Secretary, IN-SPACe, Dr Ekroop Caur, IAS, Secretary to Government (Electronics, IT, Biotechnology and Science &Technology), Government of Karnataka and Dr Shalini Rajneesh, IAS, Chief Secretary to the Government of Karnataka
Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), and the Department of Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology has signed an MoU with the Government of Karnataka to accelerate the state’s commercial space launchpad. The MoUs signed include establishing a Centre of Excellence for Space Technologies in Bengaluru and setting up of a public-private space manufacturing park.
IN-SPACe is a governmental organisation constituted to open up the space sector and enable the participation of the Indian private enterprises in the space sector. Founded in 2020, the organisation is responsible for the promotion, enabling, authorisation, and supervision of various space activities of the Non-Governmental Entities.
The MoUs were signed by Dr Ekroop Caur, IAS, Secretary to Government (Electronics, IT, Biotechnology and Science & Technology), Government of Karnataka; and Mr Lochan Sehra, IAS, Joint Secretary, IN-SPACe, in the presence of Dr Shalini Rajneesh, IAS, Chief Secretary to the Government of Karnataka, and Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe.
Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe said, “State of Karnataka has emerged as a hub for new age space start-ups and enterprises. The MoUs will bolster this ecosystem and support the state and country’s efforts in succeeding in the NewSpace era. We look forward to working shoulder-to-shoulder with the state to see more satellites, engines and deep-space technologies developed and manufactured in the state.”
The collaboration comes after the Karnataka government had released its draft Karnataka Space Technology Policy, 2024-29 in November of last year, with the aim to make the state a global destination for space technology.
“The MoUs with IN-SPACe mark a new chapter in Karnataka’s space journey creating a seamless talent and value chain with the regulatory support required to compete globally,” said Dr Shalini Rajneesh, Chief Secretary to Government of Karnataka.
(Inputs from businessline intern Rohan Das)
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Published on May 7, 2025