India Soars in Space Sector with 460 Satellites in Last 10 Years: Hardeep Puri

August 23, 2026

New Delhi: India’s space sector has reached new milestones, with 548 satellites placed in orbit through 100 launches, including around 460 satellites in the last decade, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Sunday.

On National Space Day, Puri highlighted India’s growing achievements in space science and technology, saying the country’s space programme reflects its scientific capabilities, ambition and spirit of innovation.

On National Space Day, we come together to celebrate the remarkable distance India has soared in the space sector. 🇮🇳🚀

From Chandrayaan-1 and Mangalyaan to Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1, India’s space programme reflects our scientific excellence, ambition and spirit of… pic.twitter.com/ZNNGdy8xhZ

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) August 23, 2026

India expands space capabilities

Puri said India’s journey from Chandrayaan-1 and Mangalyaan to Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1 demonstrates the country’s progress in space exploration.

He also highlighted the contribution of India’s young talent, saying the energy and ingenuity of the country’s youth are giving fresh momentum to the space sector.

According to Puri, space startups and private-sector innovators are turning ambitious ideas into new opportunities and strengthening India’s space ambitions.

He said the space programme is emerging as an important force in India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat, while contributing to the vision of a technologically advanced and Aatmanirbhar Bharat under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Chandrayaan-3 marked historic lunar achievement

On August 23, 2023, ISRO successfully landed the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft near the Moon’s south polar region.

With the achievement, India became the fourth country after the United States, China and the former Soviet Union to successfully soft-land on the Moon and the first country to land in the Moon’s southern polar region.

The first National Space Day was observed on August 23, 2024. The day commemorates the Chandrayaan-3 landing while celebrating India’s wider achievements in space science and technology.

Chandrayaan-3 completed key mission objectives

Chandrayaan-3 was launched aboard the LVM3-M4 from Sriharikota on July 14, 2023.

The mission was designed to demonstrate three key capabilities: a safe and soft lunar landing, rover movement on the Moon and scientific experiments on the lunar surface.

After the landing, the Pragyan rover rolled out from the Vikram lander and conducted experiments alongside instruments aboard the lander.

The mission studied the Moon’s surface temperature, seismic activity, plasma environment and elemental composition, providing scientists with data from the lunar south polar region.

The lander and rover successfully operated for one lunar day, equivalent to around 14 Earth days, meeting the primary objectives for which they were designed.