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Lokesh highlights AP’s role in building India’s space economy ecosystem
In Short
IT Minister Nara Lokesh highlighted the role of state governments in strengthening India’s space sector and creating opportunities for students and young professionals.
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IT Minister Nara Lokesh
Visakhapatnam: IT Minister Nara Lokesh highlighted the role of state governments in strengthening India’s space sector and creating opportunities for students and young professionals.
Addressing college students on the emerging opportunities in the space economy during a session on India’s New Space Economy on the second day of the ‘CII Partnership Summit 2026’ in Visakhapatnam, Lokesh explained how state governments can contribute to a sector mainly governed by the Central government. He said AP is adopting a systematic approach to developing sector-specific ecosystems by identifying key industries, mapping all stakeholders and attracting investments and companies to the state.
The IT Minister emphasised the need for strong vertical and horizontal integration to build a comprehensive space industry ecosystem. Vertical integration involves attracting sub-component manufacturers, suppliers and vendors who support major space companies such as Skyroot in developing and launching their rockets. He pointed out that a significant number of these supporting companies are Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which play a crucial role in strengthening the supply chain.
Explaining horizontal integration, Lokesh said it involves bringing academia and industry together by revamping academic curriculum, encouraging research and strengthening testing and certification facilities through Centres of Excellence. The IT Minister highlighted the collaboration with IIT Tirupati to establish a Centre of Excellence in the energy sector, in view of the growing cluster of ingot, solar wafer and solar cell manufacturing companies in the region.
Lokesh stressed the need for a dedicated national policy to develop an integrated space industry ecosystem and mentioned that state governments should proactively identify and attract companies such as Skyroot. Calling for a systematic approach to identifying the entire value chain, Lokesh underlined the importance of bringing them together within a common industrial ecosystem.
Building strong connections between major space companies, MSMEs, suppliers, research institutions and academia would make a significant difference in developing India's space economy, Lokesh stressed, emphasising that a well-integrated ecosystem, supported by state-level initiatives and industry-academia collaboration, would help position AP as an attractive destination for investments in the emerging space sector.
