India’s growing prowess in space
Indian Space and Research Organization (ISRO) has once again showcased its growing prowess in space technology with the successful launch of the USA’s communication satellite Blue-Bird Block-2 aboard LVM3-M6, India’s heaviest rocket. A leading US company entrust reflects ISRO’s global standing, credibility, and the trust it has built over time.
Every mission strengthens India’s position as a reliable partner in space collaboration. Since 2014, ISRO has launched 360+ satellites for 34 countries including 232 from the US and 83 from the UK, the most competitive and risk-averse space markets. ISRO’s credibility comes from doing hard things repeatedly. In 2017, it set a record by placing 104 satellites in a single launch.
A Record of Consistency and Innovation: India’s achievements have steadily expanded the boundaries of exploration. In 2023, India became the first nation to land near the Moon’s south pole, confirming the presence of sulphur on the lunar surface. That same year, the Aditya-L1 mission began studying the Sun from deep space. In 2024, the XPoSat mission opened a new window into the universe by studying black holes through X-ray polarimetry.
Expanding Borders: In the same year, India achieved another milestone with SpaDeX, becoming the fourth nation to demonstrate space docking—a critical step toward building space stations. Looking ahead, the Gaganyaan mission is expected to carry Indian astronauts into space, with plans for an Indian space station by 2035 and a crewed Moon mission by 2040.
Multiplying New Actors: India’s Space Policy 2023 opened the sector to greater private participation, fueling a surge in startups. From just one space startup in 2014, the ecosystem has grown to more than 328 by 2025. Companies such as Skyroot Aerospace, Agnikul Cosmos, Pixxel, Dhruva Space, Digantara, Bellatrix, and Stardour are driving innovation across launch systems, satellite technology, and space applications. In recognition of this momentum, the World Economic Forum named 10 Indian startups as Tech Pioneers in 2025, with space technology leading the charge.
Partnerships with Caribbean region: The use Space applications are extremely important for the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and other CARICOM nations tackling the issues emerging from climate change as the Earth Observation satellites provide crucial data for monitoring sea-level rise, coastal erosion, sargassum blooms, extreme weather and disaster response.
In the joint statement of 2nd India-CARICOM summit underscored that space-based applications which could be utilized, inter alia, in agriculture production, security surveillance, early warning systems and the tracking of sargassum along coastal areas. India’s trajectory reflects not only technological excellence, but also a commitment to global cooperation under the guiding vision of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam- “One Earth, One Family, One Future.”