India to have its own space station ‘Bharatiya Antriksh Station’ by 2035, Minister Jitendra Singh announces

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh has said that the country will have its own space station ‘Bharatiya Antriksh Station’ by 2035.

He made the announcement following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) on 26 October. The MoU marks a unique collaboration aimed at integrating biotechnology with space technology, heralding a new era of science. innovation in India.

Minister Singh emphasized that this MoU represents a critical step towards practical applications of biotechnology, moving beyond theoretical research.

Singh emphasized public-private participation, which has been instrumental in the rapid growth of India’s space sector. The minister pointed out that the number of space startups has grown significantly, with nearly 300 startups now contributing to the space economy.

The MoU outlines several key initiatives, including the establishment of a Bharatiya Antariksh station and the unveiling of the BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) policy. This policy aims to boost high-performance biomanufacturing in the country with the aim of achieving a $300 billion bioeconomy by 2030. Collaboration will focus on areas such as microgravity research, space biotechnology, space biomanufacturing, bioastronautics and space biology .

“This partnership is expected to benefit the national human space program and spur innovations in human health research, novel pharmaceuticals, regenerative medicine, and bio-based technologies for efficient waste management and recycling. It will also open up opportunities for startups in the space and biotechnology sectors to develop commercially attractive technological solutions,” an official government statement said.

The event was attended by ISRO Chairman S Somnath, Department of Biotechnology Secretary Rajesh Gokhale, Ramesh V Sonti, Director ICGEB, Dr Alka Sharma, Chief Scientist in the Department of Biotechnology and other senior officers.