ISRO Denies Privatisation Claims Amid Space Sector Reforms, Says Role Will Not Be Diminished

The Indian Space Research Organisation has strongly rejected claims that it faces privatisation or a reduced role in India’s space programme. The agency issued a clarification on Sunday after media reports and concerns raised by employee associations.

ISRO said the assertions circulating in parts of the media were completely baseless and incorrect. “We wish to categorically state that ISRO will neither be privatised nor will its importance be diminished,” the organisation said. ISRO Successfully Completes 2nd Orbit-Raising Manoeuvre for EOS-05 Satellite.

ISRO Rejects Privatisation Claims

ISRO Clarifies Role in Space Sector Reforms

According to the statement, ISRO will continue to remain India’s principal institution for advanced space research and technology development, national and strategic missions, space science and exploration, and critical and frontier space capabilities.

Participation of the private sector is not about reducing ISRO’s role. “It is about enabling ISRO to focus even more strongly on the next generation of India’s space programme, while industry scales mature technologies and capabilities. What is changing is not the importance of ISRO, but the scale and structure of India’s space ecosystem.”

The reforms, initiated since 2020 and supported by the Indian Space Policy 2023, aim to create a larger and more competitive Indian space ecosystem. Industry, start-ups and academic institutions are being encouraged to take part across the value chain, complementing rather than replacing the agency’s work.

Focus on Frontier Technologies and Space Vision 2047

ISRO said its focus will progressively strengthen in frontier research and development, advanced technologies, human spaceflight, next-generation launch systems, deep-space and planetary missions, and strategic national capabilities.

This shift supports Space Vision 2047 goals, which include establishing the Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035, sending Indian astronauts to the Moon by 2040, developing reusable launch systems and pursuing sustained lunar and planetary exploration.

“These are technologically demanding missions that require ISRO to remain focused on advanced research and capabilities that cannot simply be substituted by commercial activity,” the statement noted.

Mature systems such as production of established launch vehicles and routine satellites can increasingly be handled by industry or public sector undertakings. This allows ISRO’s scientific manpower to concentrate on more complex national missions.

Private Participation and National Security Safeguards

Private participation in operations and services will be enabled where appropriate but will remain subject to national-security, safety and regulatory requirements. Strategic and nationally critical capabilities will continue to be governed by security, safety, quality and national-interest considerations. ISRO Will Not Be Privatised, Says Space Organisation's Chief K Sivan.

Ownership and control of critical national space infrastructure will stay with the government. The Department of Space provides overall policy direction, ISRO leads advanced research and national missions, IN-SPACe facilitates non-government participation, and NSIL handles commercialisation of mature capabilities.

The clarification follows a letter from nine employee associations representing thousands of staff. The associations had sought clarity after comments by IN-SPACe chairperson Pawan Goenka about industry eventually taking on more manufacturing of launch vehicles. Goenka has separately stated that the reforms expand the overall ecosystem rather than reduce ISRO’s foundational role.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 06, 2026 10:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).