Ahmedabad: The Centre’s Department of Space (DoS) cleared the way for clusters manufacturing space-tech equipment and testing facilities in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. In a two-pronged approach, the state govts allocated land parcels dedicated to space-related manufacturing, whereas the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) was roped in to establish associated common technical facilities (CTFs), senior officials said.In Gujarat, the manufacturing cluster will come up at Khoraj near Ahmedabad and is envisioned as ‘plug-and-play’ for the industry. According to officials, the cluster will focus on spacecraft, payload systems, and space-based applications. The site is in the vicinity of key industrial clusters focused on the automotive and semiconductor sectors. The CTFs will be established within these manufacturing clusters, added officials.According to a release, IN-SPACe chairman, Pawan Kumar Goenka, said that setting up CTFs featuring capital-intensive systems marks a critical step in creating a robust, industry-led space ecosystem in India. “The private space industries including startups, MSMEs and large industries will be able to access these facilities without having to invest in and operate a similar facility on their own premises,” he said.Officials said IN-SPACe will play a key role in procuring, installing, and commissioning the technical infrastructure, operating the facility for a specified period, and later handing it over to the respective state govts. They added that it will also assist the states in planning and developing the dedicated manufacturing clusters.Rajeev Jyoti, director (TD) at IN-SPACe, told TOI that it is a major step in establishing a space technology cluster in India.“The cluster will be for the companies working in manufacturing of various components required for the space tech. These companies require large-scale testing facilities which will be provided by IN-SPACe. Currently at the IN-SPACe facility in Ahmedabad, about 40-odd startups and companies are using the technical facilities,” said Jyoti.M K Das, Gujarat chief secretary, said in the release that the cluster was not merely an infrastructure project. “The park equipped with curated state-of-the-art common facilities will be a strategic enabler for rapid growth of space tech manufacturing,” he said.Founders of space tech startups in Ahmedabad said the city is poised to become a major space technology hub in India, driven by the presence of SAC-ISRO and leading research institutions such as the Institute of Plasma Research and the Physical Research Laboratory. They said the city is well-positioned to develop a dedicated space-tech cluster, with several local startups having made their mark through major funding and technical development.
