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The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) was established in 2020 as an autonomous, single-window agency under the Department of Space (DOS), to promote and regulate private-sector participation in India’s space activities.

It serves as an interface between ISRO and private entities, including industry and educational institutions, assessing their requirements and facilitating access to India’s space infrastructure and resources in consultation with ISRO. The idea was to establish a body that could enable ISRO to focus more closely on its core functions of research, development and advanced space technologies. 

IN-SPACe is meant to facilitate greater private-sector participation and the expansion of India’s space economy. Pawan Kumar Goenka who heads this organisation has recently made claims that ISRO is majorly transferring launch vehicle technology to the private sector and in future, various space launches would be undertaken by India’s private sector. As per Goenka, ISRO has already transferred 120 space technologies to the private sector. In an interview, he stressed that in the area of satellite manufacturing, ISRO’s focus would remain limited towards developing only scientific and other satellites. Also, the management of the under-progress new satellite launch centre at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu would be handed over to private agency. 

Goenka’s statement prompted several ISRO staff associations to write to chairman V. Narayanan, seeking clarification on the possible reduction of ISRO’s role in the space sector in the coming years. In response, the authorities have broadly clarified that any suggestion of reducing ISRO to merely an ornamental role is baseless and incorrect. India’s objective is to expand its overall space ecosystem, with the private sector playing a larger role in the future. However, this expansion need not come at the cost of ISRO’s role and capabilities. 

Against this backdrop, it is important to understand the emerging dynamics of India’s space sector, encompassing both public and private enterprises.

1. India’s first privately-manufactured Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), built by a consortium of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T), is expected to launch around March 2027. ISRO has transferred this technology so as to make private industry to undertake this activity.  

2. The first launch of a rocket manufactured fully by HAL under the major ISRO Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) technology transfer is scheduled for September 2027. This would be launched from a new launch site in Tamil Nadu

3. IN-SPACe has invited expressions of interest from qualified private Indian companies to take over the end-to-end operations and maintenance of the new Small-Satellite Launch Complex (SLC) at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu and the site is expiated to be operational to undertake the September 2027 launch of SSLV by HAL.

4. The Indian space tech start-ups ecosystem is growing very rapidly. At present, India has around 450 space start-ups, with a critical mass of about 20 companies reaching mature production readiness.

5. Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LMV-3) was previously known as the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III). IN-SPACe has invited expressions of interest from Indian companies or consortia for the technology transfer and commercialisation of ISRO’s LVM-3, marking a further step towards transferring operational launch activities to the private sector. The idea is to enable industry to independently manufacture and commercially operate the heavy-lift launcher. ISRO will provide infrastructure and........

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