'ISRO Role Will Not Diminish': Agency Rejects Privatisation Fears

Space promoter and regulator Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (INSPACe) chairperson Pawan Goenka and ISRO have moved to calm concerns over privatisation, saying the space agency’s role would not diminish even as more work goes to industry. The clarification came on Sunday, two days after nine associations representing thousands of Isro employees sought clarity on the future of launch-vehicle manufacturing and the agency’s wider role.

Goenka addressed the issue on X. He pointed to “some misleading narrative” across news coverage concerning the space agency's prospective position. “Let me say it unequivocally: ISRO’s role is by no means diminishing. It will remain the bedrock of Indian space sector. The reforms since 2020 are about expanding India’s overall space ecosystem,” Goenka added.

ISRO also posted separately on X on Sunday and stated that the agency would neither be privatised nor see its importance reduced. The clarification matters because employee groups had asked if a recent remark by Goenka on launch-vehicle production reflected official policy and what it could mean for the organisation’s functions and staff.

Employee Concerns

The questions came after Goenka said, “eventually, ISRO will not make any launch vehicles and will not manufacture any launch vehicles. That will all be done by the private sector or PSU.”

That remark prompted nine associations representing thousands of Isro employees to write to Department of Space Secretary and Isro Chairman V Narayanan seeking clarity. They asked whether Goenka’s statement represented government policy.

The associations also sought details on the transfer of Isro’s manufacturing and operational functions. They asked about the agency’s future role and the impact on serving employees and future generations.

Agency Clarification

ISRO drew a line on Sunday. The agency said private-sector participation would enable it to focus on the next generation of India’s space programme while industry scales mature technologies.

The agency said its “role will progressively strengthen in areas where its scientific expertise matters most: frontier R&D, advanced technologies, human spaceflight, next-generation launch systems, deep-space and planetary missions and strategic national capabilities.”

It added: “Meanwhile, mature and routinely manufactured systems can increasingly be scaled through industry. Production of mature launch vehicles, routine satellites and other established systems can increasingly be undertaken by industry or PSUs through appropriate competitive processes,” Isro posted on X.

Goenka linked the current debate to the policy changes introduced in 2020. He said those reforms were meant to expand India’s overall space ecosystem, not reduce Isro’s place in it.