🚀 Please read the edited version of the interview to Hindu Business Line. India needs more space startups in the downstream segment and must support them with incentives—especially in the unexplored application areas. Govt, both Centre & States should act as anchor customers and mandate use of space-based services in governance, agri, fisheries, weather, logistics & more. Encourage using subsystems developed in India in the private sector as well. 🇮🇳 #SpaceTech #SomanathSpeak

Visited Bellatrix Aerospace #BellatrixAero at their test facility in IISc, #iiscbangalore today. They showcased a successful vacuum firing of their ARKA-100, a 100 W electric thruster and a 1N green propellant thruster RUDRA based on HAN. Both systems are fully developed in-house — including heater-less cathode, magnetic-lensed anode, high-efficiency PPCU, control electronics and all pneumatic control components. Supported by #ISRO and #INSPACeIND, Bellatrix is building critical propulsion tech that could empower Indian smallsat makers to rely on indigenous systems instead of sourcing from abroad. A significant step for our space ecosystem. #SomanathSpeak

Very proud to deliver the inaugural keynote on the journey of ‘Space’ and its impact in India at the Oxford India Forum at University of Oxford, UK. The talk highlighted the ‘Atmanirbhartha’ achieved in space and the excitement around the recent success, space sector reforms and ambitions of the new space companies. #SomanathSpeak