India’s Space Surge: A New Power for the Global South?

At the recently held National Meet 2.0, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) announced ambitious plans to launch 119 Earth Observation (EO) satellites by 2040. This overall opportunity is estimated to be worth approximately US$4.4 billion to US$7.7 billion, encompassing various aspects of the satellite ecosystem.

Desai, Director of ISRO’s Space Applications Centre, revealed that India plans to launch 103 EO satellites and 19 technology demonstration satellites in the next 15 years, and this mission will include ISRO, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) and private sector participation. Apart from EO satellites, he outlined plans for about 160 communication satellites, with 140 in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) to offer broadband services, while 20 satellites will be launched into Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO).

This rapid growth and expansion will depend on several factors, including strong government support, rapid technological innovation, and the development of a vibrant private space sector. Progress is further exacerbated through the new law by the Union Cabinet of India, allowing up to 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in its space sector to lower entry barriers for foreign players, encouraging an inclusive environment for international investments, technology exchange, and collaborative research in space technology.

In recent years, there has been a surge in private space players in the ecosystem, reflecting a broader shift toward commercialization and innovation. Companies including Dhruva Space (satellite integration), Skyroot and Agnikul (launch vehicle development), and Pixxel (hyperspectral EO) are emerging as key contributors. These players are not only gaining traction within India, but they are also making progress internationally.

Diplomatic Momentum:

India has been positioning itself as an expanding influence in the Global South (particularly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America) by building its diplomatic and strategic relationships with countries such as South Africa, Brazil, Indonesia, and other emerging nations. For instance, India hosted the Voice of Global South Summit in 2023 before the G20 summit, aimed at bringing together countries of the Global South, creating a platform for shared dialogue and ensuring their concerns are effectively communicated on the global stage.

While India has witnessed significant progress across sectors such as services, manufacturing, and electronics, these developments are in alignment with their message to be the voice and launchpad for the Global South nations (regions that include Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia and Oceania), aiming to democratize space access for developing nations. Current trends in the new space era include constellations for small satellites, space manufacturing, and applications that integrate space data into Internet of Things (IoT), automation, and governance. During National Space Day, Saraswat, a member of NITI Aayog, a policy think tank of the Government of India, emphasized that a global alliance was necessary for surveillance of space assets, satellite networks, border security, tourism, space-based energy, and other emerging domains.

India’s rapid advancements and innovations in technology demonstrate its capability to support nations that may lack the resources or infrastructure to independently advance in satellite technology and services. For instance, India funded and launched the first-ever South Asia Satellite (SAS) to improve communication for the region in 2017 and ISRO provides international training programs open to engineers from Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. These initiatives underscore India’s commitment to spearhead space and satellite developments across the region.

Impact of Investments and Collaboration:

• Supply Chain Expansion for Domestic Manufacturing: The increase in investments and FDIs will spur supply chain expansion, especially for electronics, composites, propulsion systems, and antenna systems. This will strengthen and benefit the domestic satellite manufacturing ecosystem by enhancing local production capabilities and reducing dependency on imports. Over time, these developments will boost India’s competitiveness in the global satellite market.
• Faster Innovation Cycles for Private Sector: With increased funding for India’s space industry, private companies are in a better position to step up their Research and Development (R&D) efforts, where they can experiment and develop advanced technologies faster, and deploy them into the market.
• Increased Global Interest in Joint Collaboration: With increased collaborations and partnerships, India is drawing global interest and is seen as a cost-effective launch hub for affordable access to space, while other developing regions are looking to India as a viable alternative for engaging in joint space initiatives.

The boom in India’s space sector will ultimately affect global dynamics around key stakeholders, such as satellite operators, ground station vendors, telecommunication and mobile network operators, private space companies, and public space organizations. What does this mean for these stakeholders and how can they capitalize on the emerging opportunity?

• Satellite Operators: With emerging alternative launch options emerging from India’s space ambitions and investments, satellite operators can look toward India for affordable and more frequent launches for their satellites, including a desirable market to expand their Satellite Communications (SatCom) operations. For example, Viasat (acquired Inmarsat in 2023) has served India’s defense, civil, and commercial sectors for almost 20 years, and recently incorporated Inmarsat satellites for Indian operations. SES has a joint venture with Jio Platforms to deliver satellite-based broadband services across India. In August 2025, Eutelsat and Nelco Limited (one of India’s leading SatCom service providers) partnered to deliver OneWeb LEO satellite connectivity across India. Opportunities exist for more of these partnerships, not only in SatCom, but in EO, IoT, manufacturing, and launch services across the space domain. Particularly for satellite operators in the Global South, this is great opportunity for new partnerships and government-to-government agreements.  
• Ground Segment & Equipment Vendors: Expansion in the supply chain and space manufacturing sector increases the options for component sourcing and co-manufacturing opportunities with Indian vendors. For example, SSC and India’s Skyroot Aerospace signed a launcher tracking service agreement last year to provide ground station tracking services for Skyroot’s Vikran-1 launch vehicle. Skyroot’s customers will have access to SSC’s global network of ground stations for Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP), telemetry services, and payload downlink services. This type of collaboration can open up more opportunities for sharing infrastructure services, exchanging launch experience knowledge, and accessing a wider and global network.
• Telecommunication & Network Operators: With 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) and Device-to-Device (D2D) connectivity gaining momentum, coupled with India’s population of approximately 1.45 billion, the country is emerging as one of the most promising markets for satellite and connectivity services. The scale of demand and increasing digital penetration positions India as a high-growth market, which presents an opportunity for global satellite and telco players to expand their footprint. For example, in March 2025, SpaceX secured agreements with India’s largest telco companies, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, to bring Starlink’s satellite Internet service to the country. Establishing more of these partnerships can help align objectives and expand hybrid networks.

In a nutshell, India’s emerging and booming space industry will create many opportunities for related upstream and downstream sectors, and many stakeholders can monetize on these evolving markets to increase market share, revenue streams, and customer base. In addition, while there is a nationalistic and competitive mindset around the space industry to accelerate innovation and gain soft power, diplomacy and collaboration is much needed in this industry to facilitate knowledge sharing and advance technological development.