Indian Space Startup Ecosystem Development
The Department of Space provided a comprehensive update on India's space startup ecosystem through a parliamentary response. As per the DPIIT Start-up India Portal, approximately 440 space technology startups are registered in India. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) has granted 113 authorizations to 52 Non-Government Entities (NGEs) to carry out various space activities, out of which 18 are specifically categorized as startups.
Technology Transfer Initiatives
NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), in coordination with IN-SPACe, has been actively transferring technologies developed at ISRO/Department of Space. As of the report date, NSIL has signed 118 Technology Transfer Agreements for transferring 83 technologies to Indian Industry. These include critical space technologies such as Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) technology, Indian Mini Satellite-1 (IMS-1) Bus, ISRO Laser Gyro (ILG), Tri-band (S, X, Ka) Antenna Feed, Ceramic Servo Accelerometer (CSA), X band Mini-SAR and Low Temperature Co-Fired Ceramic (LTCC) Multi Chip Module technology. NSIL provides hand-holding support to startups for technology assimilation and commercial utilization, and facilitates Indian industries/PSUs for utilization of ISRO technical facilities for technology/product validation.
Policy and Financial Support Measures
The Government has implemented numerous measures following space sector liberalization, including the Indian Space Policy 2023, decadal vision and strategy for space sector growth, liberalized Foreign Direct Investment policy for space sector, discounted pricing policy for NGEs to access ISRO facilities, and establishment of a ₹1,000 crore Venture Capital Fund to support space startups. Additional initiatives include the ₹500 crore Technology Adoption Fund (TAF) to accelerate indigenous space technology development, access to ISRO infrastructure and expertise, skill development programs, establishment of a Technical Centre for affordable testing facilities, technology transfer opportunities, PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) platform for technology validation, and the "Satellite Bus as a Service (SBaaS)" initiative to develop indigenous satellite capabilities.
Financial Support Details
As of July 31, 2026, the cumulative financial support provided during the last three years totaled ₹9,976.34 lakhs across various schemes. The IN-SPACe Seed Fund Scheme had an envelope of ₹6,500 lakhs with disbursements of ₹88.3 lakhs in FY2024-25, ₹225 lakhs in FY2025-26, and ₹20 lakhs in FY2026-27. The Venture Capital Funds scheme with ₹100,000 lakhs envelope received SEBI approval on October 31, 2025, with ₹605.64 lakhs disbursed in FY2025-26 and ₹18,287.40 lakhs in FY2026-27. The Technology Adoption Fund (₹50,000 lakhs envelope) had 3 NGEs selected for technology development but no disbursements yet. The Satellite Bus as a Service initiative (₹7,500 lakhs envelope) had 3 NGEs selected with ₹750 lakhs disbursed in FY2026-27. Common Technical facilities (₹50,000 lakhs envelope) had agreements signed with Governments of Gujarat and Tamilnadu.
Technical Facilitation and International Collaboration
IN-SPACe has provided extensive technical facilitation to startups including flex seal & acoustic testing, S/X-band antenna RF testing, sub-orbital launch access, engine testing, environmental testing, static stage testing, ground station support, hardware-in-loop simulations, EMI/EMC testing, cryogenic pump review, trajectory validation, and docking mechanism testing. The organization also facilitates international collaborations with stakeholders across more than 30 countries through bilateral partnerships, international exhibitions, business forums, delegation visits, B2B engagements, and Government-to-Government dialogues.
Investment Landscape and Startup Details
As a result of policy interventions and growing private sector participation, cumulative investments in Indian space start-ups have reached approximately USD 618.5 million as of March 31, 2026, with the investment landscape progressively shifting from early-stage seed funding towards larger growth-stage investment rounds. The document includes detailed annexures listing 18 authorized space startups with their locations, 23 startups/individuals receiving support across various domains (agriculture, disaster, urban, marine), and 10 grantees of the Preincubation Entrepreneurship Program (PIE) with their locations.