New Delhi: The Government of India, through IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center), is actively facilitating Andhra Pradesh's foray into the space sector by offering technical support for the establishment of a space manufacturing cluster, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

Replying to a question in the Upper House, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh said IN-SPACe has approached multiple states, including Andhra Pradesh, for developing such clusters. “The Andhra Pradesh government has recently announced a state-level policy for the space sector,” he noted.

IN-SPACe is extending support to Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs) through facilitation, mentorship, technology transfer, and funding assistance. As of now, 11 NGEs from Andhra Pradesh are registered with IN-SPACe, including nine start-ups. However, only one of these entities has availed IN-SPACe's full support in terms of facilitation, seed funding, and authorization, the minister said.

To enhance space engineering capabilities and nurture entrepreneurship, several educational initiatives have been rolled out. IN-SPACe has conducted 10 short-term skill development courses targeting industry professionals and academia. A National Committee for Adoption of Space Technology Education has also been constituted to promote space-related education in academic institutions across the country.

Additionally, a curriculum for a B.Tech minor degree in Space Technology has been developed and approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Dr. Singh added.

The minister reaffirmed the Centre's commitment to empowering states like Andhra Pradesh in emerging space technologies through both industrial and educational collaboration.