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

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

He made the announcement after the signing a MoU between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) on October 26. The MoU marks a unique collaboration aimed to integrate biotechnology with space technology, heralding a new era of scientific innovation in India. 

The minister Singh emphasised that this MoU represents a pivotal step towards practical applications of biotechnology, moving beyond theoretical research. 

Singh emphasised on 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 foster high-performance biomanufacturing in the country, with a goal of reaching a $300 billion bioeconomy by 2030. The 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 programme 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 opportunities for startups in the space and biotechnology sectors to develop commercially attractive technological solutions,” an official statement issued by the government said. 

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