A market, not a monopoly.

Startups, private rockets and what India sells to the world.

How the door was opened.

Space Policy 2023: Cabinet approved it in Apr 2023. Private firms may now build satellites and rockets and sell data. Voice&Data, 10 Apr 2023
FDI: Up to 100%. The automatic route allows 74% for satellites and data, 49% for rockets and spaceports and 100% for components. PIB press note, 21 Jun 2026
Funds: A ₹1,000 crore venture fund and a ₹500 crore technology adoption fund. PIB press note, 21 Jun 2026
Authorisations: IN-SPACe has issued 113 authorisations to 52 private entities. 18 of them are startups. Rajya Sabha reply via Telangana Today, 13 Aug 2026
Budget: The Department of Space gets ₹13,706 crore in 2026-27, up from ₹12,449 crore. Space sciences tripled to ₹570 crore. Business Today, 1 Feb 2026
NSIL: ISRO’s commercial arm grew revenue from ₹322 crore in FY22 to ₹3,246 crore in FY25. PIB press note, 21 Jun 2026
Private money: About $150–160 million raised so far in 2026. (reported) YourStory, 22 Jul 2026

May 2024 · Agnikul flies a 3D-printed engine (vijay). Agnibaan SOrTeD used a single-piece 3D-printed semi-cryogenic engine and India’s first private launch pad. AIR News, 30 May 2024
Jan 2025 · Pixxel’s hyperspectral satellites (vijay). Three Firefly satellites with 5 m hyperspectral imaging. A Pixxel-led group later won India’s first private Earth-observation constellation. Pixxel, 15 Jan 2025 · The Week/PTI, 12 Aug 2025
Dec 2025 · LVM3 carries 6,100 kg for a US client (vijay). BlueBird-6 for AST SpaceMobile. The heaviest payload LVM3 has lifted. IANS, 24 Dec 2025
Jan 2026 · A second PSLV failure in a row (anubhav). PSLV-C62 failed eight months after PSLV-C61. ISRO did not launch again until Sep. A market is built on reliability. Customers book the rocket that flies. ThePrint, 12 Jan 2026 · The Space Review, 8 Sep 2026
Jul 2026 · Skyroot reaches orbit (vijay). Vikram-1 put payloads into low Earth orbit. India’s first private orbital launch. Space.com, 18 Jul 2026