National Space Day to put spotlight on startups, private sector contributions

NEW DELHI — The increasing number of space startups and private sector contributions are expected to be the highlight for the National Space Day celebrations, said the Ministry of Science and Technology.

National Space Day is celebrated on August 23rd to commemorate the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 mission's Vikram lander on the South Pole of the Moon, making India the first nation to achieve the feat.

The day recognises India's significant achievement in space exploration and its growing prowess in space technology.

“The upcoming National Space Day will highlight private sector contributions, with more than 300 startups expected to participate in exhibitions and live demonstrations,” the Ministry said, during a high-level joint review of all Science Ministries, in the national capital.

The meeting, chaired by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh, assessed cross-sectoral scientific initiatives and called for outcome-based coordination across departments in line with India’s Vision 2047 goals.

“Startups are now integral to our space innovation ecosystem,” an official said, noting that startup-led exhibits will anchor this year’s celebrations.

Singh was briefed on progress under the government’s flagship BioE3 Policy -- Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment.

The BioE3 Policy, approved by the Cabinet in August 2024, aims to position India as a global biomanufacturing hub by integrating biotechnology with artificial intelligence.

Singh was informed about the first round of DBT-BIRAC joint calls, under the BioE3 Policy, which received over 2,000 proposals.

He described the initiative as “a national mission to power green growth, bioeconomic expansion, and employment generation.”

Further, the meeting also focussed on educational outreach. With growing demand from younger students -- including those in Classes 6 to 10 -- the Ministry noted exploring ways to scale early science mentorship and innovation exposure.

Singh stressed the need for better inter-ministerial alignment, instructing departments to route key proposals through the Principal Scientific Adviser for strategic prioritisation. “We must avoid overlaps and work in unison to achieve national outcomes,” he said.

The MoS also reviewed a proposal to launch 100 post-doctoral fellowships for Indian scientists abroad - a programme which aims to reverse brain drain and build domestic research capacity.

“We must offer meaningful opportunities to attract our talent back,” Singh said.