Published on March 2, 2025
In AI Startups

Why India’s Best Space Engineers Are Choosing to Stay Back

“People went abroad because of better projects and financial incentives, but if you are paid well here, you could visit those countries while still building in India,” said Yashas Karanam, co-founder and COO of Bellatrix Aerospace.

Image by Nalini Nirad

By Vandana Nair

The Indian space sector, once dominated by government-led initiatives, is seeing a surge in private players, opening up career trajectories that didn’t exist. Along with that, the decade-old norm of space engineers studying in India, gaining experience at ISRO, and then moving abroad for better opportunities is also fading away. Instead, more Indian engineers are choosing to stay and build in India. One of the catalysts for this shift has been India’s evolving space policy. “If you recall, in 2020, Nirmala Sitharaman announced approximately ₹20 lakh crore as part of the COVID package. A portion of that was dedicated to opening up new sectors for increased employment and investments—space was one of them,” said Yashas Karanam, co-founder and COO of Bellatrix Ae

Subscribe or log in to Continue Reading

Uncompromising innovation. Timeless influence. Your support powers the future of independent tech journalism.

Already have an account? Sign In.

📣 Want to advertise in AIM? Book here

Vandana Nair

As a rare blend of engineering, MBA, and journalism degree, Vandana Nair brings a unique combination of technical know-how, business acumen, and storytelling skills to the table. Her insatiable curiosity for all things startups, businesses, and AI technologies ensures that there's always a fresh and insightful perspective to her reporting. She now hosts her tech segment 'Point Break' on AIM Tv.