India’s Contribution to Global Space Missions

September 13, 2026

Speaking virtually at the International Space Summit held in Paris, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that India supports a safe and sustainable space sector grounded in international law. Simply put, this means that the scientific data and achievements of all space-exploring nations should be utilized honestly for shared goals. Modi remarked that ISRO’s achievements—ranging from operational successes to partnerships—benefit not only India but the entire world. We have launched over 430 satellites from 34 countries into space using Indian rocket systems, thereby serving the global community. Modi emphasized that India’s achievements regarding the Moon and the Sun are significant.

Chandrayaan-3 made India the first nation to reach the vicinity of the Moon’s south pole, and our Aditya-L1 mission is currently unraveling the mysteries of the Sun. Modi outlined ambitious goals for lunar exploration, noting that India aims to reach the Moon by 2035. An Indian space station is slated for establishment in 2035, paving the way for the goal of sending an Indian to the Moon by 2040. Our guiding principle is that the full benefits of our programs should accrue to humanity as a whole, rather than being limited to India alone.

A debate had arisen regarding whether India’s space exploration efforts were shifting towards privatization and if the sector might become beholden to private interests. Concerns were raised about whether revenue generation would take precedence over scientific discovery, or if the pursuit of foreign capital—driven by the aim to become an export-led economy—might cause our prestigious missions to lose their way within the corridors of privatization. Dr. V. Narayanan, the current Chairman of ISRO, clarified that there are no plans to privatize ISRO on such a scale.

Launching satellites for smaller nations is a key revenue-generating activity for the government, and it will not be handed over to the private sector beyond a certain limit. Modi also clarified that ISRO’s research missions—such as exploring solar planets, unraveling the mysteries of the Moon, and monitoring crop diversification and weather fluctuations through space-based imaging satellites acting as ‘India’s eye’—will continue as before. The private sector will not dominate this domain. We believe that all of India takes pride in ISRO, and this sense of pride must be upheld.