New consortium aims to lift Kerala spacetech

In what could be a watershed moment for Kerala’s spacetech sector, three major aerospace companies – Ananth Technologies Limited (ATL), Vinvish Technologies, and Aeroprecision – have formed a consortium facilitated by KSPACE, the government agency established to boost the state’s aerospace industry.

A Memorandum of Understanding signed by the three entities aims to create a unified platform to bid for rocketry-related mega projects in India and abroad. The three private companies are already leaders in the field, and the consortium has the potential to compete for high-value projects traditionally dominated by established players like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), and Larsen & Toubro (L&T).

There are over 50 spacetech firms in Kerala, yet they currently handle less than 10 per cent of the work outsourced by Indian space agencies, despite the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) originating in Trivandrum in the 1960s. This underutilisation persists even though Kerala’s capital is home to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Isro Inertial Systems Unit (IISU), Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), and BrahMos Aerospace.

Trivandrum can also stake its claim as the city with the highest concentration of space scientists, thanks to these premier agencies and the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) students.

As a report in The Hindu indicates, successive state governments have been talking about building on these strengths since the 1970s, the latest being a plan unveiled five years ago to develop a specialised technology campus for the sector. But we are yet to see anything concrete emerge. Meanwhile, the state in its wisdom decided to locate an aerodefence park in Palakkad, 300 km away from Trivandrum and that facility still continues to gasp for oxygen.

With Isro opening the door to greater private sector participation amid an unprecedented global expansion in the space industry, southern states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana have been quick to roll out comprehensive plans to seize upcoming opportunities. Kerala, however, is still on its starting block. 

This new consortium aims to change Kerala’s trajectory by leveraging its combined capabilities and bringing more work to the state’s aerospace firms. The partnership marks the first time private companies have joined forces with KSPACE, utilising the agency’s reach and credibility.

Role of a Referee

“The role of KSPACE is that of a facilitator – like providing a playground and referees for a football match. The players will form the team and enter the contest,” says G Levin, CEO of KSPACE. “Our objective is to create more work for the sector here and generate employment, which will, in turn, bring more revenue for the government.”

He notes that with the private sector playing an increasing role, opportunities have grown, like the 860-crore contract for the next five Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLVs), which was won by a consortium formed by HAL and L&T. But securing major contracts like that requires serious muscle power.

“The three companies in this new consortium have already established themselves globally and have the capacity to invest thousands of crores together. By acting as a single entity, they can bid for major projects in space, aviation, and defence and execute them end to end. It is also possible that other companies with specialised expertise, such as propellant research, could join the consortium.”

Varied Expertise

The consortium partners bring complementary strengths to the table. Trivandrum-based Aeroprecision specialises in high-precision manufacturing and testing and operates a plant in Chowara equipped with sophisticated machinery worth crores of rupees. The firm has been around for over a decade and has played a key role in several major missions undertaken by India in recent years.

Vinvish Technologies specialises in fabrication engineering and has offices in the US to serve its international customers. One of the fastest-growing aerospace companies in Kerala, it is currently building a multi-crore facility in Trivandrum to accommodate its increasing global business.

Hyderabad-headquartered Ananth Technologies Limited (ATL) specialises in electronics and mechanical subsystems for launch vehicles, satellites, and ground systems. Tech experts say the company’s fingerprints are visible in nearly all major high-tech projects in India in the last two decades and has built satellites for clients in Europe and the US.

ATL, though headquartered in Hyderabad, also has units in Bangalore and Trivandrum. Its chief, Dr Subba Rao Pavuluri, an alumnus of IIM Calicut, has developed strong ties with Kerala over the years.

The consortium agreement was signed on March 3 by Dr Subba Rao; Pius Varughese, COO of Vinvish; and PS Sarilal, MD of Aeroprecision.

Market Potential

Sarilal notes that global demand for spacetech work is rising rapidly, and more big-name companies could enter the sector soon. However, firms in Kerala will struggle to scale up and will have to be content with piecemeal projects for Isro and defence agencies. Without a unified entity capable of competing with larger players, retaining work within the state is not feasible. This consortium aims to bridge that gap.

The current spacetech boom presents another opportunity for Kerala, but capitalising on it requires a concerted effort. “We need an environment where decision-makers recognise the potential and build a mechanism to execute plans. A lack of technical expertise can result in projects getting tangled in bureaucratic red tape,” he says.

The new consortium will leverage private sector flexibility in handling major projects, with each company responsible for different modules. As most of the work will be executed in South India, smaller firms in the region – especially in Kerala – stand to benefit, as many components of such large-scale projects are outsourced.

Boom Time

Shaijumon CS, an economics professor at IIST and a member of a central government panel assessing the future economic scope of space activities, predicts a golden era ahead for Indian aerospace companies.

Currently, India’s space economy is valued at approximately 8.4 billion US dollars, accounting for 2 per cent of the global space market. The government aims to expand this to 44 billion by 2033, including 11 billion in exports, raising India’s global market share to 7–8 per cent.

The number of private space companies in India has skyrocketed from just 11 in 2019 to over 400 in 2024. Shaijumon believes Kerala’s companies can achieve significant success and generate jobs-provided they receive adequate government support.

He notes that while many IIST graduates have found success in various states and space startups across India, opportunities in Kerala remain limited due to the lack of a robust ecosystem.

A thriving spacetech sector doesn’t just mean more business for a handful of high-tech firms. The data gathered from such missions is set to play a crucial role in multiple areas that impact daily life, including health, transport, infrastructure, insurance, and education.

Take-off Position

The Kerala government recognises that, given the state’s land constraints and fragile environment, building mega-factories is challenging. Instead, it has promoted a knowledge economy model that capitalises on the state’s abundant human resources.

The space sector aligns perfectly with this approach, as many essential components are already in place. What’s needed now is a clear vision, strong political will, and a government machinery capable of executing the plan.

The newly formed consortium offers a glimpse of how Kerala can hitch a ride on India’s booming space economy – just as it prepares for lift-off.

[The consortium agreement was signed by the three companies, and KSPACE acted only as a facilitator, not as one of the signatories, as mentioned in the earlier version. We regret the error.- Editor]

Young brains grab the headlines

A couple of Indian names recently flashed across our screens, highlighting their achievements in the United States. One is Sarath Sreedharan, from Payyoli, Kozhikode, now an assistant professor of computer science at Colorado State University. He has been recognised by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Intelligent Systems as one of “AI’s 10 to Watch” for his foundational framework on human-aware artificial intelligence. His research explores how AI systems can align with human values, and since last year, he has been experimenting with a state-of-the-art robot to understand the complexities of human-robot interactions.

Divya Tyagi, an aerospace engineering graduate student at Penn State, Pennsylvania, made headlines after revamping a century-old mathematical problem and finding a simple yet elegant solution to optimise wind turbine flow conditions and enhance power output. Her work could significantly improve wind energy efficiency, potentially increasing a turbine’s energy production by 1 percent – enough to power an entire neighbourhood.

Bringing AI to public

With AI set to reshape our world in many ways, it is worth noting that Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (Kite) has launched a programme to introduce the public to artificial intelligence. Kite has started a four-week course with an initial batch of 500 participants, helping them understand how AI can be applied to their needs. CEO Anvar Sadath says the first batch has drawn interest from a diverse group across different age ranges, including doctorate holders and Keralites based abroad. The intake will be increased beyond 500 in the next batch. The programme aims to demonstrate how AI can be integrated into daily life, both at work and at home.

Clever path for athletes

One app that recently caught our attention is SportsSkill, from a Pune-based company founded by former national squash player Abhinav Sinha. The company aims to redefine sports training through data-driven insights and video analysis. An innovative feature of this app is gamification – awarding ‘Skill Points’ based on an athlete’s performance. These points can be redeemed for vouchers, goodies, and merchandise, boosting both engagement and skill development. The founders tell YourStory that one of the main challenges in adopting data-driven training is resistance from coaches accustomed to traditional tracking methods, though some from the younger generation are embracing it.

Not a good lot, yet

Good news for artists worried about being outdone by algorithms. Christie’s first auction dedicated to AI-generated art wasn’t exactly a masterpiece. Of the 34 lots up for grabs during the 14-day online auction, 14 either didn't get qualifying bids or sold for less than the auction house's lowest estimate, reports TechXplore. The star of the show was Machine Hallucinations-ISS Dreams-A by digital artist Refik Anadol, which fetched 277,200 US dollars – impressive, but not quite Van Gogh territory. Christie’s and rival Sotheby’s have dabbled in AI art sales before, but this was Christie’s first attempt at giving AI its own solo exhibition. Looks like the AI still have some learning to do before they can paint the town red.