Parliament Question: Development of Satellite Launch facilities in India

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF SPACE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4157 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2026 DEVELOPMENT OF SATELLITE LAUNCH FACILITIES IN INDIA 4157. SHRI TANGELLA UDAY SRINIVAS: Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state: (a) the number of new satellite launch facilities and launch pads approved, under construction and operational in the country during the last five years along with their designed payload capacities and expected timelines for full commissioning, year and State-wise; (b) the funds sanctioned, released and utilised for establishment or expansion of such facilities during the said period; (c) the details of upcoming launch missions planned from these facilities including the types of launch vehicles and payload categories; (d) whether any proposal for the development of such facilities from States including Andhra Pradesh for a launch facility near Kakinada is under consideration of the Government; (e) if so, the status thereof including approvals, payload capacity and funding pattern;(f) whether private participation and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) have been permitted in development of launch infrastructure; and (g) if so, the details thereof including regulatory safeguards adopted? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH): **** (a) As of now, two launch pads i.e. First Launch Pad (FLP) and Second Launch Pad (SLP) are operational at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. FLP caters to the launches of PSLV & SSLV and SLP caters to the launches of PSLV, GSLV & LVM3. Establishment of a Third Launch Pad (TLP) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota has been approved by the Government of India in the year 2025 which will cater to the launch of Next Generation Launch vehicles of ISRO. TLP is targeted to be established by 2029-30 timeframe. In order to carry out the launches of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle to Sun-synchronous Polar Orbit (SSPO) that is mostly preferred for Earth Observation, a second launch site i.e., SSLV Launch Complex (SLC) in Kulasekarapattinam, Tamil Nadu is being established. The second launch site is expected to be commissioned during FY 2026-27 timeframe.(b) The funds sanctioned, released and utilised for establishment or expansion of launch pad and related facilities during the last five years is as in Annexure-I. (c) Three missions each of PSLV and SSLV, mostly earth observation satellites are planned to be launched from First Launch Pad (FLP) during 2026-27 timeframe. Two missions each of GSLV and LVM3, mostly for communication & navigation satellites are planned to be launched during 2026- 27 timeframe. The first developmental flight of NGLV from TLP is planned during 2031-32 timeframe. The launches of SSLV from the Second launch site at Kulasekarapattinam, Tamil Nadu is expected during 2027-28 timeframe. (d) & (e) As of now, the Department of Space (DoS) has no proposal to establish any other launch site elsewhere in the country. (f) Yes. The Space sector reforms announced by the Government of India during June, 2020 permits end to end space activities including development of launch infrastructure. Following these Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) was created in Department of Space for promoting, authorizing and overseeing the activities of Non- Governmental Entities (NGEs) in Space sector. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is permitted in development of launch infrastructure as notified by Gazette notification dated 16.04.2024 by Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance.(g) IN-SPACe has brought out the Norms, Guidelines and Procedures (NGP) for Implementation of Indian Space Policy- 2023 in respect of Authorization of Space Activities, which provides guidelines and criteria for authorization including accountability, national security, sustainable and safe space operations, and provides transparency and predictability to the non-government entities seeking authorisation from IN-SPACe. Guidelines and Standard Operating Procedure including regulatory safeguards to be followed in automatic as well as government routes for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in space sector are already issued by the Department. ****Annexure-I ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4157 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.03.2026 Financial year 2020-21 to 2022-23 (Rs. in crore) Sl. Name of Project 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 No. BE RE Actuals BE RE Actuals BE RE Actuals 1 Realization of Second 1000.00 1000.00 999.94 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Vehicle Assembly Building 2 Solid Propellant Space 8000.00 5000.00 5499.88 8000.00 6500.00 6299.99 3500.00 3900.00 3899.98 Booster Plant 3 PSLV Integration 11000.00 6000.00 5499.70 8000.00 4500.00 3679.14 4000.00 4000.00 3246.07 Facility 4 Launch Pad for SSLV 10000.00 584.00 78.74 11700.00 15482.00 15549.63 10000.00 1000.00 1172.99 5 Third Launch Pad 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 6 Augmentation of 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Infrastructure towards enhancement of launched capacity of LVM 3Financial year 2023-24 to 2025-26 (Rs. in crore) Sl. Name of Project 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 No. Actuals BE RE Actuals BE RE Actuals BE RE (Feb 2026) 1 Realization of Second 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Vehicle Assembly Building 2 Solid Propellant Space 2450.00 2450.00 2106.13 550.00 700.00 499.39 100.00 14.50 13.84 Booster Plant 3 PSLV Integration 4000.00 1500.00 711.41 2280.00 1700.00 930.91 100.00 7.00 5.31 Facility 4 Launch Pad for SSLV 10000.00 1000.00 36.78 10883.00 16270.00 13896.56 30000.00 230.00 148.65 5 Third Launch Pad 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00 3.00 0.80 6 Augmentation of 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2375.00 29.00 2.33 Infrastructure towards enhancement of launched capacity of LVM 3