When most people picture India’s space programme, they think of Bengaluru,
Hyderabad, or Sriharikota. A rocket launch in Dholera is beginning to shift that
map.
Ahmedabad-based Omspace Rocket & Exploration Pvt. Ltd. recently made
history in Gujarat’s private space sector, launching the state’s first rocket from
a temporary facility near Bavalyari in Dholera. The mini-satellite, built to
collect weather data, was also the first privately developed rocket to lift off
from the region under Gujarat’s new spacetech framework .
The launch fits neatly into what Dholera has been building toward. The city
has already drawn serious interest in semiconductor manufacturing,
renewable energy, and large-scale industrial projects.Unlike many industries
that prioritize rapid expansion, space technology is rooted in research, and
long-term innovation.
Aerospace in India has has a clear geography. Karnataka, Telangana, and
Andhra Pradesh dominate the ecosystem. ISRO’s headquarters in Bengaluru,
with numerous aerospace startups. Hyderabad harbours satellite
manufacturing. Sriharikota handles launches.
But Dholera’s interest in space isn’t just about rockets. A functioning space
ecosystem tends to pull in high-skilled talent across disciplines — aerospace
engineers, software developers, electronics specialists, data scientists — and
creates conditions for university-industry partnerships and foreign
investment. Getting in early, before the sector consolidates around existing
hubs, could determine whether Dholera becomes a centre of India’s space
ambitions in the decades ahead.
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