India expands private space sector with new re‑entry rules and investment surge

India’s private space industry is rapidly scaling under the Indian Space Policy 2023. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN‑SPACe) granted 108 authorisations to non‑government entities in 2026, supporting 17 start‑ups and backing more than 400 active companies. Government initiatives include a ₹1,000 crore venture‑capital fund, a ₹500 crore technology adoption fund, discounted ISRO facility usage, and the IN‑SPACe Seed Fund Scheme. Investment reached $187 million in 2026 alone, bringing total private funding past $600 million, with Skyroot Aerospace becoming India’s first space‑tech unicorn and Digantara raising $50 million.

Following the historic Vikram‑1 launch, IN‑SPACe released new guidelines for planned satellite and spacecraft re‑entries. All Indian entities must obtain prior approval, and foreign firms must apply through an Indian partner. The rules set a public‑safety risk ceiling of one in 10,000, require detailed trajectory analysis, and mandate notifications such as NOTAMs. Exemptions apply only to naturally de‑orbiting hardware covered by debris‑mitigation plans.