Karnataka, SIA-India plan India's first space tech Centre of Excellence

Karnataka has joined hands with the Space Industry Association (SIA)-India to establish India’s first Centre of Excellence (CoE) in space technology in Bengaluru. Conceived as a multi-functional platform integrating industry, academia, startups, and government, the CoE will accelerate India’s space innovation ecosystem through targeted interventions in capacity building, research and development, and startup acceleration over a five-year roadmap (2025–2030).

The Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS) has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with SIA-India to implement the project.

Priyank Kharge, Karnataka Minister for Electronics, Information Technology (IT), and Biotechnology said Karnataka, home to premier institutions such as ISRO, IISc, DRDO, and several leading PSUs has long been the epicentre of India’s innovation landscape, supported by a vibrant ecosystem of startups, technology firms, and skilled professionals driving advancements in aerospace, defence, and emerging technologies. The state’s forward-looking policies and thriving entrepreneurial base make it the ideal launch pad for India’s New Space ambitions, he added.

The CoE is expected to reinforce Karnataka’s aspiration to capture 50% of India’s space market share (about $22 billion by 2033) and contribute significantly towards the national goal of securing 10% of the global space economy within the next decade.

“This CoE is not just an institution; it is a strategic nucleus that will consolidate Karnataka’s leadership in the global space economy. It reflects our shared vision to harness the collective strengths of industry, academia, and government to propel India’s space journey into its next phase of innovation, collaboration, and global competitiveness”, said Subba Rao Pavuluri, President, SIA-India.

The CoE is conceived to serve as a transformative hub to incubate and accelerate space-tech startups, providing prototype funding to help convert concepts into market-ready products. On the talent front, it will upskill professionals through short-term, industry-aligned programmes and certify students through advanced, long-duration courses.

In research and development, the CoE aims to publish peer-reviewed research in international journals and commercialise innovative products and solutions spanning satellite components, data analytics, and AI-based tools. The Centre will also drive several strategic partnerships with domestic and international organisations to facilitate technology transfer, joint ventures, and collaborative missions.

“The initiative will incubate startups, support R&D in satellite manufacturing, launch systems, and downstream applications, and connect innovators with ISRO and IN-SPACe resources for real-world deployment. It also introduces India’s first State Space Innovation Index to evaluate policy readiness and investment climate. By creating a model for public–private collaboration, this Centre positions Karnataka as the launchpad for India’s next generation of space enterprises and strengthens the state’s global leadership in the space economy,” Anil Prakash, Director General, SIA-India, said.