Ahmedabad, June 12 (IANS) The Gujarat government and the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) on Thursday announced an agreement to develop advanced Common Technical Facilities (CTF) at a proposed Space Manufacturing Park in Khoraj, a project aimed at strengthening India’s private space ecosystem by providing shared testing and validation infrastructure for start-ups and small manufacturers.
The announcement was made during the inaugural day of the 10th edition of the IN-SPACe Industry Connect event in Ahmedabad, where state Science and Technology Minister Arjun Modhwadia unveiled plans for the facility in the presence of Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
The project will be developed under Gujarat’s Space Tech Policy 2025-30 and is intended to support companies involved in spacecraft, payload and space technology development by providing access to specialised infrastructure that is often expensive and difficult to establish independently.
The state government said the Common Technical Facility would be developed in close collaboration with IN-SPACe to ensure alignment with national standards and the requirements of both established space companies and emerging start-ups.
With the vision of making India’s space economy globally competitive, Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated major reforms in the space sector, leading to the establishment of IN-SPACe as an enabling, promotional and regulatory body for the industry.
Officials said the state’s initiative builds on those reforms and on the legacy of space pioneer Vikram Sarabhai, noting that Gujarat was among the first states in the country to introduce a dedicated policy for the space sector with provisions for industry participation, capacity building and financial support.
According to the government, the objective of the Common Technical Facilities is to provide start-ups and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with access to high-quality testing and validation infrastructure through a shared platform.
“The objective of these Common Technical Facilities is to provide start-ups and MSMEs with access to high-quality testing and validation infrastructure, which is often difficult and expensive to develop independently,” the government said in a statement.
It added: “By making such facilities available through a shared platform, the state government aims to accelerate product development cycles, enhance the reliability of space-grade systems, and provide new momentum to India’s space technology ecosystem.”
The facility will include a Class 100,000 clean room equipped with safety systems, a thermo-vacuum chamber for environmental simulation, a vibration testing system capable of handling payloads of up to 12 tonnes, electromagnetic interference and electromagnetic compatibility testing facilities, a climate test chamber, mass properties measurement systems, magnetic field testing infrastructure, and calibration facilities for Earth Observation optics.
Under the agreement, IN-SPACe will provide technical support for the project and contribute up to Rs 100 crore towards the procurement of specialised equipment.
The state government will provide the remaining funding required for the construction, operation and maintenance of the Common Technical Facility and the wider Space Manufacturing Park.
Officials said the initiative is expected to lower entry barriers for start-ups and MSMEs while improving access to critical technical infrastructure.
The shared facility will enable companies to test and qualify components and systems within Gujarat, reducing dependence on external facilities and shortening development timelines.
The Gujarat government has allocated 50 acres of land for the dedicated Space Manufacturing Park at Khoraj, with provisions for future expansion to 100 acres.
Science and Technology Department Secretary P. Bharati and Gujarat Space Electronics Mission (GSEM) Mission Director Neha Kumari said the Khoraj Space Park would focus on end-to-end design and development of spacecraft, payload systems and space-based applications.
Modhwadia expressed confidence in Gujarat’s youth and said the state government would continue working closely with IN-SPACe and industry stakeholders to take Gujarat’s space economy to greater heights.
The state government said it remains committed to building a robust ecosystem that promotes innovation, manufacturing excellence and long-term growth in the space sector.
–IANS
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