New Delhi: India’s push to open up the space sector to private players is gathering pace, with the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) granting authorisations for 94 activities to non-government entities between 2022 and 2026 across satellites, ground systems and launch services, the government said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
Year-wise data shared by the Department of Space shows authorisations rising from 5 in 2022 to 34 in 2024, before moderating to 31 in 2025 and 13 so far in 2026. The approvals span areas such as amateur and remote sensing satellites, ground stations, hosted payloads, non-Indian satellite constellations and orbital or sub-orbital launches from Indian territory.
On the project side, the government highlighted two key initiatives: a public-private partnership Earth observation satellite constellation led by Pixxel Space along with Dhruva Space, Satsure Analytics and Piersight Space, and a technology transfer agreement with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) for launching satellites on the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), valued at ₹511 crore over 10 years.
The government said an assessment of the revenue and economic value generated through private participation is being carried out with the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. However, it noted that space startups raised around $150 million in 2025, while the top 10 startups together have a confirmed order book of about $150 million, signalling growing commercial traction in the sector.
As of January 31, 2026, 71 ISRO technology transfers have been facilitated to industry through IN-SPACe, giving private companies access to test facilities, technologies and technical support to strengthen manufacturing and innovation capabilities. The regulator has also issued Norms, Guidelines and Procedures (NGPs) to provide clarity and transparency to companies seeking authorisation for space activities.
The update was shared by minister of state Jitendra Singh, as the government continues to position private enterprise as a key pillar in scaling up India’s presence in the global space economy.