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American Investors Eager to Invest in India’s Space Industry: USIBC's Executive Director
The United States and India are witnessing a transformative phase in space collaboration, marked by increased interest by American investors in India's growing space industry. “I’ve never seen so much vibrancy, so much dynamism, so much excitement in funding and creation and innovation of products and services in the commercial space arena,” said Jacob Gullish, Executive Director of the US-India Business Council (USIBC), told WION's Diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal. The bilateral relationship, solidified through the Initiative for Critical Emerging Technologies (iCET) launched in January 2023, includes cyber, AI, quantum semiconductors, and space. India, during PM Modi's state visit to the country, also signed the Artemis Accords that paves the way for collaboration on lunar and Martian exploration. An Indian astronaut will soon join the International Space Station (ISS), with American support. “The U.S. has been working on its commercial space enterprise for almost 40 years, whereas India is in a four or five-year phase,” Gullish noted. Despite this, he emphasized India's proactive efforts to open its space market with its technological prowess and dynamic startup ecosystem. “There’s a clear push by the government of India to open up the market to utilize the power and potential of India's commercial space, its technology, its skills, and frankly, the creativity and energy in that startup community.” As a result of pro active policies, American investors are increasingly interested in funding Indian startups focused on small satellites and geospatial data analysis. “Ultimately, business is about people to people,” Gullish explained, highlighting the importance of mutual understanding in fostering successful partnerships.
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