India Earns USD 143 Million from Launching Foreign Satellites Since 2015

India has generated foreign exchange revenue of USD 143 million by launching foreign satellites between 2015 and 2024, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Jitendra Singh informed the Lok Sabha.

In a written reply, the minister stated that from January 2015 to December 2024, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched 393 foreign satellites and three Indian customer satellites on a commercial basis using PSLV, LVM3, and SSLV launch vehicles.

India’s Growing Role in Global Satellite Launches

India has provided launch services to 34 countries, including major space players. Among the 393 foreign satellites, the highest number—232—belonged to the United States, followed by 83 from the United Kingdom, 19 from Singapore, 8 from Canada, and 5 from South Korea. Other countries that benefited from India’s commercial satellite launch services include Luxembourg (4), Italy (4), Germany (3), Belgium (3), Finland (3), France (3), Switzerland (2), Netherlands (2), Japan (2), Israel (2), Spain (2), Australia (1), the UAE (1), and Austria (1).

Currently, India has signed space cooperation agreements with 61 countries and five multilateral organizations. These collaborations cover satellite remote sensing, navigation, communication, space science, planetary exploration, and capacity building.

India has established itself as a leading space power with consecutive successful missions. In 2023, the nation achieved two historic milestones—the soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon's South Pole and the successful launch of Aditya-L1, India's first solar mission.

Looking ahead, India is preparing for its ambitious Gaganyaan mission, aimed at demonstrating human spaceflight capabilities. Under this mission, a crew of astronauts will be sent into orbit and safely brought back to Earth, with a planned splashdown in Indian waters.

The Gaganyaan mission is scheduled for launch this year, and its four selected astronauts have undergone training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia, the same facility where Rakesh Sharma, India's first astronaut, trained before his spaceflight in 1984.

Future Goals: Indian Space Station & Lunar Mission

India’s space ambitions extend far beyond Gaganyaan. The country aims to establish the 'Bharatiya Antariksha Station' by 2035 and send the first Indian astronaut to the Moon by 2040.

With the private space sector gaining momentum, Indian startups have played a crucial role in boosting the industry, especially after the 2020 policy shift that opened the Indian space sector to private enterprises.