In a major push to strengthen its fast-growing private space ecosystem, India has announced plans to transfer technology related to its flagship Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) to domestic private companies, marking a significant step in the country’s efforts to expand indigenous rocket production and become a global hub for satellite launches.
According to Bloomberg, Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre Chairman Pawan Goenka said the government has released an Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting private sector participation for technology transfer of the PSLV, one of India’s most successful and reliable launch vehicles developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The “workhorse” of the Indian space program has been used for deep-space exploration, including the historic Chandrayaan-1 and Mangalyaan missions.As of December 2024, PSLV has launched as mnay as 360 foreign satellites from 36 countries.
Government opens PSLV technology to Indian firms
Under the plan, only companies that are majority-owned and controlled by Indians will be eligible to access the PSLV technology. The move is aimed at boosting local manufacturing capacity and speeding up private participation in rocket production and commercial launch services.
India has been aggressively expanding its space ambitions since the government introduced major reforms in 2020, allowing private players to independently design, build, own and launch satellites and rockets.
Big push for India’s space startup ecosystem
The decision is expected to significantly boost India’s rapidly expanding private space sector, where hundreds of startups have emerged since Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the industry to private investment in 2019.
India is looking to position itself as a major global player in small satellite launches, an area witnessing rising demand worldwide. Even large corporate players such as Jio Platforms, backed by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, have announced plans to build satellite-based communication networks.
Temporary setback after recent PSLV failures
The announcement comes despite two consecutive mission failures involving the PSLV rocket over the past year, raising concerns over reliability. The PSLV mission failures included PSLV-C61 in May 2025 and PSLV-C62 in January 2026. Both failures occurred due to anomalies in the critical solid-fueled third stage (PS3), raising concerns about quality control and potentially impacting ISRO’s global commercial launch credibility.
However, Pawan Goenka said the setbacks are temporary, pointing out that PSLV has historically maintained one of the strongest track records in the space industry, with more than 60 successful launches without failure before the recent incidents.
Why PSLV remains crucial for India
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) remains one of India’s most celebrated space achievements and has been central to several landmark missions, including India’s Moon and Mars programmes.
Developed by ISRO, PSLV is primarily designed to place satellites into polar and sun-synchronous orbits and has also been used extensively for launching satellites for international customers.
By opening access to PSLV technology, India is signalling a shift from a government-led space programme to a commercial ecosystem where private firms could eventually take the lead in manufacturing rockets, conducting launches and competing globally in the rapidly expanding space economy.