India’s private space sector has witnessed significant growth following the country’s space sector reforms, with cumulative private investment crossing USD 618.5 million and 105 authorisations being granted to private entities, while the government continues to strengthen the regulatory framework to safeguard national security, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
Replying to an Unstarred Question in the Upper House, Singh said private investment worth USD 187 million has been reported during 2026, while 105 authorisations had been issued to Non-Government Entities (NGEs) as of July 14, 2026.
The Minister said cumulative private funding in India’s space sector has expanded nearly six-fold over the past few years, increasing from USD 100.5 million in 2021-22 to USD 348.5 million in 2023-24, before reaching USD 618.5 million by March 31, 2026. He attributed the growth to increasing confidence among domestic and global investors in India’s evolving space ecosystem.
Emphasising that rapid commercial expansion is being accompanied by robust national security safeguards, Singh said every application for private space activities is evaluated under the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) Norms, Guidelines and Procedures with due consideration to strategic, security and national interests before authorisation is granted.
He also informed the House that IN-SPACe is preparing dedicated Safety and Security Guidelines for space activities in consultation with stakeholders to further strengthen India’s regulatory architecture as private sector participation continues to expand.
The Minister said the government has established a comprehensive policy, regulatory and financial ecosystem to accelerate the growth of the private space industry. The measures include implementation of the India Space Policy 2023, a liberalised Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy, streamlined authorisation procedures through IN-SPACe, concessional access to ISRO facilities, a ₹1,000 crore Venture Capital Fund, a ₹500 crore Technology Adoption Fund, the IN-SPACe Seed Fund Scheme, entrepreneurship and incubation support, technology transfer from ISRO, affordable testing infrastructure, skill development initiatives and industry outreach programmes.
Singh informed Parliament that 17 space startups have so far been authorised by IN-SPACe to undertake space activities, reflecting the emergence of a vibrant startup ecosystem contributing to India’s space ambitions.
Sharing findings from IN-SPACe’s assessment of the 2020 space sector reforms, the Minister said the reforms have transformed India’s private space landscape within six years.
He said Indian private companies have successfully demonstrated launch and orbital capabilities, placed more than 30 satellites into orbit and flown nearly 45 payloads through platforms such as the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM), reflecting the growing technological capability and commercial maturity of the sector.
The impact assessment also highlighted India’s expanding global presence in the space economy. Indian space companies are attracting international investment, expanding overseas operations and collaborating with leading global partners, while IN-SPACe has established working relationships with more than 45 countries and signed cooperation agreements with foreign space agencies.
At the domestic level, the Minister said the Earth Observation Public-Private Partnership (EO-PPP) has brought together leading Indian companies to develop the country’s first privately owned Earth observation satellite constellation, backed by a private investment commitment of around ₹1,200 crore, demonstrating growing industry confidence in India’s space sector reforms.
