Gandhinagar, March 16 The Gujarat government is planning to establish a satellite launchpad near Kodinar in the Gir Somnath district to strengthen the space sector, Science and Technology Minister Arjun Modhwadia informed the legislative assembly on Monday.
The proposed site, located between Diu and Kodinar, has been identified as a suitable place for launching satellites into orbit, similar to the country's primary launch center at the Satish Dhawan Space Center, he said.
Modhwadia, while speaking on budgetary demands for his department, said the site was identified after consultations with the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
"As per our request, IN-SPACe has found a suitable location which can be developed as a launchpad for putting satellites into orbit, just like Sriharikota. That location is situated between the Union Territory of Diu and Kodinar. We are now moving forward in that direction,” the minister said.
This move comes after the state launched the Gujarat SpaceTech Policy in April 2025, making Gujarat the first state in the country to introduce a dedicated policy aimed at developing the space technology ecosystem.
As part of the initiative, the state government is also setting up the Gujarat Space Park across 100 acres near Sanand to attract companies working in space technology and satellite manufacturing.
Modhwadia said that space technology-based industrial units are expected to come up at the facility, which will help build a broader ecosystem for the sector.
He said that Azista Aerospace has already begun work on establishing a small satellite manufacturing unit at the space park with an investment of Rs 500 crore.
"I am happy to say that Azista Aerospace has started work to manufacture small satellites at a cost of Rs 500 crore, and the process of allocating land to them has begun,” the minister told the House.
According to him, the facility will become India’s first private-sector satellite manufacturing plant capable of handling end-to-end operations.
The upcoming payload manufacturing plant will not be limited to producing spare parts but will undertake activities including satellite design, engineering, assembly, and testing, he said.
Modhwadia said the initiative is aimed at positioning Gujarat as a key hub in India’s rapidly expanding space sector.
He also highlighted the growing global demand for satellites and the need for India to build infrastructure to support satellite production and launches.
"Such days are coming when people like Elon Musk alone are planning to launch around 10,000 satellites into space. India must build its ecosystem for this sector,” he added.
The minister said that developing manufacturing capabilities as well as expanding rocket launching facilities will be essential for the country to remain competitive in the space industry.
He also cited recent grassroots-level innovation in the sector, stating that two young innovators had recently launched a sounding rocket near Ahmedabad with permission from the state government.
He said that the rocket successfully reached an altitude of about three kilometres and landed safely using a parachute.