Lok Sabha Question No. 4157 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Development of Satellite Launch facilities in India
Ministry: SPACE
Asked by: Shri Tangella Uday Srinivas

## 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):

****

- 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
- (a) 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 202627 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  NonGovernmental 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 Policy2023  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. No.   | Name of Project                                                                  | 2020-21   | 2020-21   | 2020-21   | 2021-22   | 2021-22   | 2021-22   | 2022-23   | 2022-23   | 2022-23   |
|-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
|           |                                                                                  | BE        | RE        | Actuals   | BE        | RE        | Actuals   | BE        | RE        | Actuals   |
| 1         | Realization of Second Vehicle Assembly Building                                  | 1000.00   | 1000.00   | 999.94    | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      |
| 2         | Solid Propellant Space Booster Plant                                             | 8000.00   | 5000.00   | 5499.88   | 8000.00   | 6500.00   | 6299.99   | 3500.00   | 3900.00   | 3899.98   |
| 3         | PSLV Integration Facility                                                        | 11000.00  | 6000.00   | 5499.70   | 8000.00   | 4500.00   | 3679.14   | 4000.00   | 4000.00   | 3246.07   |
| 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 Infrastructure towards enhancement of launched capacity of LVM 3 | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      |

Financial year 2023-24 to 2025-26

(Rs. in crore)

| Sl. No.   | Name of Project                                                                  | 2023-24   | 2023-24   | 2023-24   | 2024-25   | 2024-25   | 2024-25   | 2025-26   | 2025-26   | 2025-26            |
|-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|--------------------|
|           |                                                                                  | BE        | RE        | Actuals   | BE        | RE        | Actuals   | BE        | RE        | Actuals (Feb 2026) |
| 1         | Realization of Second Vehicle Assembly Building                                  | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00               |
| 2         | Solid Propellant Space Booster Plant                                             | 2450.00   | 2450.00   | 2106.13   | 550.00    | 700.00    | 499.39    | 100.00    | 14.50     | 13.84              |
| 3         | PSLV Integration Facility                                                        | 4000.00   | 1500.00   | 711.41    | 2280.00   | 1700.00   | 930.91    | 100.00    | 7.00      | 5.31               |
| 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 Infrastructure towards enhancement of launched capacity of LVM 3 | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      | 2375.00   | 29.00     | 2.33               |