Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh Highlights Andhra Pradesh’s Role in Building India’s Space Economy Ecosystem

Education and IT Minister Shri Nara Lokesh participated in a session on India’s New Space Economy on the second day of the CII Partnership Summit 2026 in Visakhapatnam, where he 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, Lokesh explained how state governments can contribute to a sector largely governed by the Central Government. He said Andhra Pradesh 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.

He 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. Citing an example, he mentioned meeting an MSME exhibitor that had manufactured a shield for a rocket.

Explaining horizontal integration, Lokesh said it involves bringing academia and industry together by revamping academic curricula, encouraging research and strengthening testing and certification facilities through Centres of Excellence. He highlighted the collaboration with IIT Tirupati to establish a Centre of Excellence in the energy sector, particularly in view of the growing cluster of ingot, solar wafer and solar cell manufacturing companies in the region.

Lokesh also stressed the need for a dedicated national policy to develop an integrated space industry ecosystem and said state governments should proactively identify and attract companies such as Skyroot. He called for a systematic approach to identifying the entire value chain, including component manufacturers, suppliers and vendors, and bringing them together within a common industrial ecosystem.

Concluding his remarks, Lokesh said that building strong connections between major space companies, MSMEs, suppliers, research institutions and academia would make a significant difference in developing India’s space economy. He emphasised that a well-integrated ecosystem, supported by state-level initiatives and industry-academia collaboration, would help position Andhra Pradesh as an attractive destination for investments in the emerging space sector.