The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved setting up a ₹1,000 crore venture capital fund dedicated to the space sector. The fund, under the aegis of IN-SPACe, is expected to support around 40 startups.

The deployment period of the proposed ₹1,000 crore VC fund is planned to be up to five years from the actual date of start of the fund operations. The average deployment amount could be ₹150-250 crore per year, depending on the investment opportunities and fund requirements, a government notification says.

The indicative range of investment is proposed to be ₹10-60 crore, contingent upon the stage of the company, its growth trajectory, and its potential impact on national space capabilities. The indicative equity investment Range could be ₹10-30 crore for growth-stage companies and ₹30-60 crore for late growth-stage companies. Based on the above investment range, the fund is expected to support around 40 startups.

The fund is designed to advance India's space sector, aligning with national priorities and fostering innovation and economic growth through key initiatives like capital infusion, retaining companies in India, growing space economy, and accelerating space technology development among others. By addressing these points, the fund aims to strategically position India as one of the leading space economies.

Capital infusion into startups is expected to create a multiplier effect by attracting additional funding for later-stage development, thereby instilling confidence in private investors, says the Cabinet note. It is expected to help in retention of space companies domiciled within India and counter the trend of Indian companies domiciling abroad. The fund aims to accelerate private space industry’s growth to meet the goal of a five-fold expansion of the Indian Space Economy in the next ten years.

The proposed fund is expected to boost employment in the Indian space sector by supporting startups across the entire space supply chain—upstream, midstream, and downstream. “It will help businesses scale, invest in R&D, and expand their workforce. Each investment could generate hundreds of direct jobs in fields like engineering, software development, data analysis, and manufacturing, along with thousands of indirect jobs in supply chains, logistics, and professional services. By fostering a strong startup ecosystem, the fund will not only create jobs but also develop a skilled workforce, driving innovation and enhancing India's global competitiveness in the space market,” the government says.

The government, as part of its 2020 space sector reforms, established IN-SPACe to promote and oversee private sector participation in space activities. IN-SPACe proposed a ₹1000 crore Venture Capital Fund to support the growth of India's space, economy, currently valued at S8.4 billion, with a target to reach $44 billion by 2033. The fund aims to address the critical need for risk capital, as traditional lenders are hesitant to fund startups in this high-tech sector. With nearly 250 space startups emerging across the value chain, timely financial support is crucial to ensure their growth and prevent talent loss overseas.

“The proposed government-backed fund will boost investor confidence, attract private capital, and signal the government's commitment to advancing space reforms. It will serve as an Alternative investment Fund under SEBI regulations, providing early-stage equity to startups and enabling them to scale for further private equity investments,” the Cabinet note says.

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