No new space incubation centres planned for Andhra Pradesh : Centre
New Delhi, Aug 12 (TNT): The Centre has no proposal to establish or support additional space incubation centres, testing facilities or innovation hubs in Andhra Pradesh, even as it steps up efforts to expand India’s private space sector through funding, technology transfers and access to ISRO infrastructure.
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh said there was currently no proposal or plan to establish additional space incubation centres, testing facilities or innovation hubs in Andhra Pradesh.
The response comes at a time when India’s private space ecosystem is expanding rapidly, with around 440 space technology start-ups registered on the DPIIT Start-up India portal. IN-SPACe has granted 113 authorisations to 52 Non-Government Entities (NGEs) to undertake various space activities, including 18 start-ups.
Singh said the government had undertaken several measures to promote private participation in the space sector, including the Indian Space Policy 2023, liberalised FDI norms, discounted access to ISRO facilities, a Rs 1,000-crore Venture Capital Fund and a Rs 500-crore Technology Adoption Fund.
Technology transfer has also been identified as a key component of the government’s strategy. NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), in coordination with IN-SPACe, has signed 118 Technology Transfer Agreements covering 83 technologies developed by ISRO and the Department of Space for transfer to Indian industry.
These include technologies such as the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), Indian Mini Satellite-1 Bus, ISRO Laser Gyro, tri-band antenna feed, Ceramic Servo Accelerometer and X-band Mini-SAR, among others, the Union Minister said.
Cumulative investments in Indian space start-ups have reached approximately USD 618.5 million as of March 31, 2026, with the investment landscape gradually shifting from early-stage seed funding towards larger growth-stage rounds, according to the reply.
The government is also facilitating access to testing facilities and launch opportunities for private space companies. During 2026, start-ups including TakeMe2Space, Bellatrix Aerospace, Skyroot Aerospace, OrbitAid Aerospace and Dhruva Space received technical support covering launch-pad utilisation, laboratory testing and other technology-validation activities.
The government’s support schemes have a combined envelope of Rs 2,140 crore, covering the IN-SPACe Seed Fund Scheme, Venture Capital Fund, Technology Adoption Fund, Satellite Bus as a Service and common technical facilities.
The Union Minister said IN-SPACe’s international outreach had also created collaboration opportunities for Indian private space companies with stakeholders in more than 30 countries.
The Lok Sabha reply also listed NSpace Tech India Private Limited of Tenali among the start-ups supported under various IN-SPACe schemes. Several Telangana-based companies also figure in the list.
Despite the broader national push to strengthen private-sector participation in the space industry, Andhra Pradesh currently has no additional Centre-backed space incubation, testing or innovation facility in the pipeline, according to the government.
TNT TS
