Parliament Discussion: Support for Homegrown Space Products and Start-ups

On December 11, 2024, the Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, addressed a question in the Lok Sabha regarding the support for homegrown space products. The government currently offers a Goods and Services Tax (GST) exemption on services related to satellite launches and the transfer of communication assets like satellites, aiming to foster domestic participation in the space sector. Industry representatives have requested similar exemptions for ground systems and components related to launch vehicles and satellites, but a formal proposal outlining these needs has yet to be submitted.

Additionally, the government has introduced an “Investment Incentive Scheme” for the space sector as a substitute for the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. To promote the application of space technology, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) launched a seed fund program, providing grants to six Indian start-ups. These start-ups, namely ARMS4AI, mistEO, Augtual (Fabric), Hyspace, Xovian, and Seagull, are focused on utilizing space technology in areas such as agriculture, disaster management, and urban development.