Ahmedabad: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is setting up the country’s second-largest space station in Gujarat, with work progressing rapidly on the ambitious ₹10,000 crore project, said ISRO Space Applications Centre (SAC) director Nilesh Desai in an interview with CNBC Awaaz.

The station will be located between Diu and Veraval, and will support the launch of SALV and PSLV rockets. Desai noted that Gujarat’s proximity to the equator offers strategic advantages for space launches. He also highlighted that ISRO is now prioritizing communication, navigation, and remote sensing technologies, which account for 70% of its current focus.

The Gujarat government has introduced a dedicated Space Mission Policy aligned with the Centre’s vision, aiming to boost the state’s role in India’s space sector.

In addition, India will launch the first of 52 satellites for a surveillance constellation by April 2026. According to reports, ISRO will build and launch 31 of these, while the remaining will be produced by three private firms under government direction, with the entire network targeted for deployment by 2029. DeshGujarat