Private SpaceTech firm Skyroot Aerospace testing its advanced 3D-Printed Raman-2 engine

India’s ambitious space launch program for the 15-month period from January 2024 to March 2025, for the first time ever as outlined in the Integrated Launch Manifesto released by IN-SPACE, set a target of 30 rocket launches involving ISRO, its commercial arm NSIL, and emerging private sector players.

However, government data reveals that only 7 launches were accomplished in this time-frame—amounting to just 23% of the stated target. Of these, ISRO executed five launches, NSIL conducted one for a foreign customer, and a private firm performed a test launch.

This shortfall is particularly stark when compared to the previous 15-month period (October 2022–December 2023), during which Indian entities completed 10 launches, indicating a 30% decline in launch activity despite the manifesto’s promise of a four-fold increase.

Industry insiders and experts have raised concerns about the credibility of such ambitious manifestos, especially when the actual performance falls significantly short. They argue that this gap could impact India’s reputation as an emerging space power, both domestically and globally.

For context, global leaders in the space launch sector have demonstrated much higher consistency in meeting their targets. In 2024, SpaceX set a goal of 148 launches and achieved 134 (about 90% of its target), while Rocket Lab accomplished 16 out of 22 planned launches (72%). These companies have established a track record of steadily increasing their launch frequencies and closely aligning actual performance with publicly stated goals.

The Indian government’s vision, as articulated by IN-SPACE, is to foster private sector participation, boost the domestic space economy, and develop advanced space capabilities for a self-reliant India. IN-SPACE is tasked with promoting, authorizing, and supervising private space activities, including the development of launch vehicles and satellites, and facilitating access to ISRO infrastructure.

However, the methodology behind IN-SPACE’s ambitious launch projections remains unclear, especially since ISRO and NSIL operate independently under their respective leaderships and have historically averaged only six to seven launches per financial year.

The Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and EY, in a recent industry report, highlighted the immense potential of India’s space sector but cautioned that “ambition must be matched with action.” The report pointed to bureaucratic complexity, multi-agency overlaps, and the need for a single-window clearance system as key challenges that contribute to delays and hinder effective execution.

Despite the setbacks, the period did see continued growth in private sector involvement, with start-ups like Agnikul Cosmos and Skyroot Aerospace making progress, though their contributions remain at the experimental stage and have yet to transition to regular orbital launches.

India’s space program continues to face broader challenges, including limited funding, import dependencies for advanced technology, and a relatively small share of the global space economy (2–3%). These factors, combined with the recent gap between announced and actual launches, underscore the need for realistic planning, improved coordination among government agencies, and streamlined regulatory processes to realize India’s space ambitions.

India’s space sector is expanding and private participation is growing, the significant gap between stated launch targets and actual achievements during 2024–25 has raised questions about planning, execution, and inter-agency coordination. Addressing these issues will be crucial for India to strengthen its credibility and position in the global space arena.

Agencies