The centre of excellence in Bengaluru will incubate startups, drive R&D, and position Karnataka as a global space innovation hub.
The Karnataka government has signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the industry association SIA-India to establish India’s first state-level centre of excellence (CoE) in space technology. The initiative, led by the Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS), will be implemented in Bengaluru and aims to accelerate India’s space ambitions through a multi-stakeholder platform integrating industry, academia, startups and government.
While addressing the gathering, Priyank M Kharge, Minister for Electronics, IT, BT and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Government of Karnataka, said the state has long been the epicentre of India’s innovation landscape.
“Home to premier institutions such as ISRO, IISc, DRDO and several leading PSUs, Karnataka is supported by a vibrant ecosystem of startups, technology firms and skilled professionals driving advancements in aerospace, defence and emerging technologies,” he said.
The CoE is expected to reinforce Karnataka’s aspiration to capture 50 per cent of India’s space market share—estimated at $22 billion by 2033—and contribute significantly to the national goal of securing 10 per cent of the global space economy within the next decade. Over a five-year roadmap (2025-30), the Centre will focus on capacity building, research and development, and startup acceleration.
Dr Subba Rao Pavuluri, President, SIA-India, said, “This Centre of Excellence 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.”
A Transformative Hub
The CoE will serve as a transformative hub to incubate and accelerate spacetech startups, offering prototype funding to convert concepts into market-ready products. It will upskill professionals through short-term, industry-aligned programmes and certify students via advanced, long-duration courses. On the research front, the CoE aims to publish peer-reviewed work in international journals and commercialise innovations in satellite components, data analytics and AI-based tools. It will also facilitate strategic partnerships with domestic and international organisations to enable technology transfer, joint ventures and collaborative missions.
Anil Prakash, Director General, SIA-India, said the initiative marks a defining step in India’s space growth story. “The Centre will 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.”
Beyond Karnataka, the CoE is envisioned as a national model for state-led space innovation. It aligns with the state’s vision for Space Technology, which seeks to institutionalise research-led growth, entrepreneurship and global collaboration. The CoE’s initiatives will complement national flagship programmes such as Startup India, Digital India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, while supporting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through applications in agriculture, disaster management, climate monitoring and urban planning.
It will be spearheaded by DS Govindrajan, Board Member, SIA-India, who will lead its development and implementation in close coordination with state and industry stakeholders.