ISRO Denies Privatisation Plans Amid Employee Concerns

IN-SPACe chairman Pawan Kumar Goenka confirmed on September 6, 2026, that ISRO will not be diminished, dismissing fears of privatisation raised by nine employee associations.

The agency currently supports over 450 space startups and aims to grow India's space economy from approximately $8.4 billion to $44 billion by 2033.

ISRO will focus on complex R&D, including the Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035 and a crewed lunar mission by 2040, while private firms handle mature launch vehicle manufacturing.