Database

# Key figures

India Space Index tracks 10 sourced headline figures on India's space sector; 2 questions have more than one published answer, shown side by side, as of 20 Oct 2026.

Where sources disagree, each figure is listed with who counted it and what it counts. Figures are never combined or averaged. The first row is the one we quote when a single number is needed: an official record with a stated definition where there is one.

## How many space startups are there in India?

2 figures from different sources. They count different things or different periods, so they are shown side by side rather than combined.

| Figure | What it counts | Counted by | As of | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **440** count | Space startups registered with DPIIT. Approximate (government says "around 440"). | Government (Rajya Sabha reply; DPIIT startup register) | 13 Aug 2026 | [aviation-defence-universe.com](https://www.aviation-defence-universe.com/parliament-question-private-companies-in-space-sector/) |
| **450** count (more than) | Space startups in India (IN-SPACe count). IN-SPACe has not published what it counts as a space startup, so this may not match the DPIIT register. | IN-SPACe (PK Jain, IAFI Space Policy Conference 2026) | 22 Jul 2026 | [yourstory.com](https://yourstory.com/2026/07/space-startup-ecosystem-450-plus-ventures-policy-reforms-fuelled-growth-space-dir) |

## How much did Indian space startups raise in 2026?

3 figures from different sources. They count different things or different periods, so they are shown side by side rather than combined.

| Figure | What it counts | Counted by | As of | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **252.9** US$ million | Spacetech funding in 2026 (Inc42 count). Calendar 2026 year to date; Inc42's own data. | Inc42 (own funding data) | 20 Sep 2026 | [inc42.com](https://inc42.com/features/indias-spacetech-gold-rush-is-here-but-whats-making-investors-jumpy/) |
| **150-160** US$ million | Spacetech funding this year (IN-SPACe estimate). Stated as about US$150-160 million so far this year by IN-SPACe's PK Jain. | IN-SPACe (PK Jain, IAFI Space Policy Conference 2026) | 22 Jul 2026 | [yourstory.com](https://yourstory.com/2026/07/space-startup-ecosystem-450-plus-ventures-policy-reforms-fuelled-growth-space-dir) |
| **187** US$ million | Private investment recorded during 2026 (government data). Reported alongside a cumulative total to 31 Mar 2026, so likely a financial-year figure (FY 2025-26); the period is not stated. Not directly comparable with calendar-year counts. | Government data | 31 Mar 2026 | [newsable.asianetnews.com](https://newsable.asianetnews.com/india/india-s-space-sector-booms-with-440-registered-startups-says-govt-articleshow-l5z1h5g) |

## How many authorisations has IN-SPACe granted?

| Figure | What it counts | Counted by | As of | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **113** count | IN-SPACe authorisations granted. To 52 non-government entities; 18 of the 52 are startups. | Government (Rajya Sabha reply) | 13 Aug 2026 | [aviation-defence-universe.com](https://www.aviation-defence-universe.com/parliament-question-private-companies-in-space-sector/) |

## How many non-government entities hold IN-SPACe authorisations?

| Figure | What it counts | Counted by | As of | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **52** count | Non-government entities holding authorisations | Government (Rajya Sabha reply) | 13 Aug 2026 | [aviation-defence-universe.com](https://www.aviation-defence-universe.com/parliament-question-private-companies-in-space-sector/) |

## How many startups hold IN-SPACe authorisations?

| Figure | What it counts | Counted by | As of | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **18** count | Startups holding authorisations | Government (Rajya Sabha reply) | 13 Aug 2026 | [aviation-defence-universe.com](https://www.aviation-defence-universe.com/parliament-question-private-companies-in-space-sector/) |

## How many applications has IN-SPACe received?

| Figure | What it counts | Counted by | As of | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **800** count (more than) | IN-SPACe facilitation and authorisation applications. Over the four years to July 2026. | IN-SPACe (PK Jain, IAFI Space Policy Conference 2026) | 22 Jul 2026 | [yourstory.com](https://yourstory.com/2026/07/space-startup-ecosystem-450-plus-ventures-policy-reforms-fuelled-growth-space-dir) |

## How many Indian launches have there been in 2026?

| Figure | What it counts | Counted by | As of | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **3** count | Indian launches in 2026. Two government (PSLV-C62 in January; GSLV-F17 in September) and one private (Vikram-1 in July). | WION | 1 Oct 2026 | [wionews.com](https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amid-domestic-launch-slowdown-four-indian-startups-payloads-fly-on-spacex-rocket-1790874421280/amp) |

## Cite this page

India Space Index. “Key figures.” https://indiaspaceindex.com/figures/. Last updated 20 Oct 2026.

Free to reuse under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) with attribution. Each row links to its original source; please cite that too.

Last updated 20 Oct 2026.

Source page: https://indiaspaceindex.com/figures/