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Until a few years ago, India's space story had just one hero: ISRO. Today, that story has a whole new cast.
Just days ago, Skyroot Aerospace became the first private Indian company to successfully launch a rocket into orbit from Indian soil. It wasn't just another launch. It signalled that India's space ambitions are no longer resting on a single organisation.
And Skyroot isn't alone. It builds rockets that can carry small satellites into space. Pixxel is building satellites that can detect everything from crop stress to oil leaks. Agnikul is developing launch vehicles powered by 3D-printed engines. SatSure turns satellite images into data that banks, insurers and farmers can actually use.
NewSpace Research builds AI-powered defence and surveillance systems. Together, these startups are solving different pieces of the same puzzle. The timing isn't accidental.
In 2020, India opened its space sector to private companies. Suddenly, startups could build rockets, manufacture satellites and even launch commercial missions. That single policy change has transformed the industry. India now has more than 400 space startups, compared with just a handful a decade ago. Investors have noticed too.
Skyroot has raised around $150 million, making it India's first space-tech unicorn. Pixxel has raised about $96 million, while Agnikul and NewSpace have each attracted more than $70 million to build technologies that barely existed in India's private sector a few years ago.
But the real opportunity isn't just launching rockets. Every satellite in orbit needs someone to build it, launch it, analyse its data and turn that information into businesses. From precision farming and disaster management to defence, climate monitoring and logistics, the commercial applications are growing rapidly.
That's why India wants to expand its space economy from about $8 billion today to $44 billion by 2033. For decades, ISRO proved that India could reach space.
Now, a new generation of startups is trying to prove that India can build businesses there too. And if Skyroot's recent launch is any indication, this race is only just getting started.
