Archive · 10 Nov 2025
India's Rocket Industry: Active Vehicles, Costs, and Future Growth
India is making its rockets in a new way!
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is letting companies like HAL and L&T help build their big rockets called PSLV.
They are also giving the plans for smaller rockets called SSLV to private companies to build many of them.
This is because many parts are already made by Indian companies.
India's space business is growing a lot and they want it to get even bigger, reaching a huge amount of money in the next ten years.
They have three main rockets: PSLV, GSLV, and LVM3.
India's rockets are much cheaper than rockets from other countries.
There are also many new small companies trying to build their own rockets.
They want to launch more rockets and go to space stations and the Moon in the future.
ISRO is transferring 50% of PSLV development to an industry consortium led by HAL and L&T.
ISRO has transferred SSLV technology to HAL, with plans for 16 SSLVs to be produced privately.
India's active operational launch vehicles are Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), and Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3).
India's space economy is valued at $8.4 billion in 2025 and aims for $44 billion in the next decade.
Indian rockets are significantly cheaper than global counterparts, with private sector launches anticipated by 2026.
- Who
- ISRO and private Indian companies (HAL, L&T, Skyroot Aerospace, Agnikul Cosmos, etc.)
- What
- Transferring rocket development and manufacturing to the private sector, increasing the space economy, and lowering launch costs.
- When
- Announced November 6, 2025; PSLV consortium's first rocket set for February 2026; private launches expected in 2026.
- Where
- India (Launches from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota)
- Why
- To grow India's space economy, support government goals, and make space access more cost-effective.
- Current Space Economy Value
- $8.4 billion (2025)
- Projected Space Economy Growth
- $13 billion (2025), $44 billion (next decade)
- Active Operational Launch Vehicles
- PSLV, GSLV, LVM3
- Private Sector Investment
- Over $415 million raised since 2020
- Upcoming Private Rocket Launches
- Expected milestone in 2026
- Number of Private Space Startups
- Over 300