Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced on January 17 the establishment of a new spaceport at Hope Island in Kakinada Bay, marking a significant expansion in India's space launch infrastructure. The facility is positioned as part of the state's proposed Space City initiative and is expected to primarily support private launch providers.

India's Expanding Spaceport Network

With Naidu's announcement, India will operate three spaceports to serve different mission requirements:

The state government has not yet released specific timelines or technical specifications for the new Hope Island facility.

Focus on Commercial Launch Operations

Officials indicated that the Hope Island spaceport is being planned specifically with commercial launches in mind. This strategic positioning aligns with India's growing space ecosystem, which has seen increased participation from private companies developing small and medium-lift launch vehicles in recent years.

The new site is expected to complement ISRO's existing facilities rather than replace them. SDSC-SHAR will continue handling major national missions, while newer sites like Hope Island are being designed to handle specific orbital needs and accommodate smaller rockets from private operators.

Geographic Advantages for Launch Operations

Launch geography plays a crucial role in mission efficiency. Earth's rotation from west to east provides natural velocity boost to rockets launched eastward, with the planet's surface moving at approximately 1,650.00 km/h at the equator. This rotational speed decreases with latitude, reaching near zero at the poles.

Launch sites closer to the equator benefit significantly from this rotation, as rockets begin their flight with built-in horizontal velocity, reducing fuel requirements. However, polar orbit launches do not gain this advantage since their trajectory cuts across Earth's rotation.

Addressing Current Launch Path Limitations

Present launches into polar orbits from Sriharikota require a 'dog-leg' maneuver to avoid flying over Sri Lanka, which costs additional energy. While this adjustment is manageable for larger vehicles like PSLV, GSLV, and LVM3, smaller rockets face more significant penalties.

Vehicles such as SSLV, Vikram-1, and Agnibaan are more sensitive to these energy losses. To address this challenge, ISRO is already constructing the SSLV launch complex at Kulasekharapatnam, which will focus on polar orbit missions and support both ISRO and private players when ready by 2027.

The Hope Island spaceport represents Andhra Pradesh's commitment to becoming a major hub in India's expanding commercial space sector, providing dedicated infrastructure for the growing private launch industry.

The Andhra Pradesh cabinet has implemented significant changes to the state's liquor pricing policy, approving a ₹10 increase in maximum retail prices while simultaneously withdrawing additional retail excise tax on bars. The decisions were announced following a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Price Adjustments and Revenue Impact

State Information and Public Relations Minister K Parthasarathy clarified that the ₹10 price hike applies specifically to India-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and foreign liquor bottles across all sizes. However, several categories remain exempt from this increase:

• Cheaper liquor variants (180 ml bottles priced at ₹99)
• Beer products
• Wine varieties
• Ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages

The financial implications of these policy changes are substantial:

Market Parity and Tax Restructuring

The cabinet addressed pricing disparities that existed between bars and retail outlets. "The cabinet noted that different billing prices for the same liquor products in bars and retail shops created disparities. The withdrawal of additional retail excise tax on bars aims to ensure price parity between bars and shops," Parthasarathy explained.

Additionally, the government approved an increase in retailer margins by approximately 1% of maximum retail price on IMFL, foreign liquor, beer, wine, and RTD products, including 180 ml bottles.

Microbrewery Expansion

The cabinet expanded permissions for microbrewery establishments, allowing operations in new locations:

• Within 5 km of municipal corporation limits
• In notified tourist centers
• In 3-star and above hotels, regardless of location

"This expands existing permissions within municipal corporation limits and aims to boost hospitality and tourism-driven investments," Parthasarathy noted.

Infrastructure Development Initiatives

Beyond liquor policy reforms, the cabinet approved the establishment of two significant infrastructure entities:

The Andhra Pradesh Logistics Fund will focus on mobilizing institutional capital for logistics and industrial infrastructure development. The state government will serve as the anchor sponsor, contributing between 10-20% of the total corpus, while professional management entities will oversee fund operations and governance.