Ahmedabad, Aug 2026 : India’s space sector has witnessed a major expansion in private participation, with around 440 startups now operating in the industry, ISRO Chairman and Department of Space Secretary Dr V. Narayanan said on Sunday.
Speaking at the third National Space Day celebrations in Ahmedabad, Narayanan attributed the rapid growth of the startup ecosystem to reforms that opened up greater opportunities for private companies, entrepreneurs and innovators in the space sector.
The increase marks a significant shift in India’s space programme, which was traditionally led primarily by government institutions. The growing presence of startups is now emerging as a key component of India’s ambition to strengthen its position in the global space industry.
“After the reforms in the space sector, there has been a significant increase in the number of startups in the country, and today around 440 startups are operating in the space sector,” Narayanan said.
He noted that India’s space programme, which began in 1962, has evolved considerably over the decades, with space-based technologies now playing an important role in the daily lives of citizens.
Narayanan highlighted several landmark achievements that have shaped India’s space journey. These include Chandrayaan-1’s discovery of evidence of water molecules on the Moon, the advanced imaging technology deployed on Chandrayaan-2 and the historic soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 near the lunar south pole on August 23, 2023.
National Space Day is observed every year to commemorate the successful Chandrayaan-3 landing, which marked a major milestone in India’s space exploration programme.
The ISRO chief also outlined some of the ambitious projects that lie ahead. He said India is progressing with the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme and is also working towards establishing the proposed Bharatiya Antariksha Station.
“The country is working on the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme and the proposed Bharatiya Antariksha Station. The first module of the space station has been approved, with the target of establishing the station by 2035,” he said.
The National Space Day programme was organised by ISRO’s Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad under the theme, “Towards Viksit Bharat: Innovating, Collaborating and Aspiring to Global Space Leadership.”
The event focused on strengthening India’s emerging space ecosystem and encouraging young people to pursue careers in science, technology and space research. Discussions also covered opportunities for greater collaboration between government institutions, academia, startups and private industry.
Representatives from academic institutions, research organisations, private space companies, startups and industry participated in the programme, highlighting the increasingly collaborative nature of India’s space ambitions.
The celebrations also recognised young talent through awards presented to winning teams of the ISRO Robotics Challenge, Indian Space Hackathon and Dr Vikram Sarabhai Space Quiz.
The growing startup base, alongside major national missions and increasing industry participation, reflects India’s broader push to transform its space sector into a globally competitive ecosystem driven by innovation, collaboration and advanced technology.
