NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) is a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of the Government of India, under the Department of Space.[4] NSIL is responsible for producing, assembling and integrating the launch vehicle with the help of industry consortium. It was established on 6 March 2019 under the administrative control of the Department of Space (DoS) and the Company Act 2013. The main objective of NSIL is to scale up private sector participation in Indian space programmes.[5][6][7]
Objectives
NSIL was setup with the following objectives:[8]
- Transfer of Small Satellite technology to industry: NSIL will obtain license from DoS/ISRO and sub-license the same to industry
- Manufacture of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) in collaboration with private sector
- Production of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) through Indian industry
- Production and marketing of Space-based products and services, including launch and application
- Transfer of technology developed by ISRO Centres and constituent units of DoS
- Marketing of spin-off technologies and products/services, both in India and abroad
Contracts
In 2022, NSIL executed a contract with OneWeb to launch 36 satellites to low Earth orbit for their satellite internet constellation. NSIL again successfully deployed another set of 36 OneWeb satellites on 26 March 2023.[9][10][11]
The Ministry of Defence signed a ₹3,000-crore agreement with NSIL, a subsidiary of ISRO, for the procurement of the advanced communication satellite, GSAT 7B, to meet the requirements of the Indian Army.[4][12]
An agreement was reached between NSIL and Arianespace for a long-term collaboration to enable satellite launch missions. As part of the Memorandum of Understanding, Ariane 6 of Arianespace and the medium-lift launch vehicle LVM3 of ISRO will answer the demand for launching larger communication or earth observation satellites as well as satellites for mega constellations, thereby satisfying the needs of the global launch service market.[13]
A launch service agreement has been signed by Space Machines Company and NSIL on 26 June 2024 for the launch of second Optimus spacecraft aboard the SSLV in 2026. The mission will tackle the issue of space debris piling up around Earth, which poses a threat to astronaut safety as well as upcoming space missions. The mission is a component of the International Space Investment India Projects program and is supported by the Australian Space Agency with grant of $8.5 million.[14] Following the inaugration of a new NSIL facility in GIFT city, Gujarat, NSIL signed a contract with GalaxEye in February 2026 towards reselling under lincence satellite data and solutions.[15]
See also
- Space industry of India
- ISRO
- Antrix Corporation
References
- New Company for Commercial Exploitation of Research and Development (Under The Company Act 2013) 27 June 2019, retrieved 21 December 2019^
- NSIL functional directors retrieved 15 July 2020^
- NSIL About Us retrieved 21 December 2019^
- Army set to get its own satellite worth ₹3,000 crore by 2026 Hindustan Times, 2023-03-29, retrieved 2023-03-31^
- ISRO's new commercial arm NewSpace India officially inaugurated smartinvestisor.business-standard.com, The Smart Investor, 2019-08-27, retrieved 2019-08-27^
- NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) - ISRO www.isro.gov.in, retrieved 2022-04-30^
- T. E. Narasimhan. Budget 2019: FM hikes Dept of Space outlay, pushes for commercialisation Business Standard India, 2019-07-05, retrieved 2019-08-27^
- NewSpace India Limited Press Information Bureau, Government of India, 24 Jul 2019, retrieved 26 August 2019^
- Successful launch of 36 OneWeb Satellites with ISRO/NSIL marks key milestone to enable global connectivity OneWeb, 27 March 2023, retrieved 27 March 2023^
- PM Modi congratulates ISRO for launch of 36 satellites Hindustan Times, 2023-03-26, retrieved 2023-03-31^
- Sangeetha Kandavel. ISRO puts 36 OneWeb satellites in orbit The Hindu, 2023-03-26, retrieved 2023-03-31^
- Ministry of Defence signs 3 contracts worth Rs 5,400 crore to boost defence capabilities India Today, 30 March 2023, retrieved 2023-03-31^
- NSIL signs MoU with French company for long-term partnership to support satellite launch missions The Hindu, 2024-01-31, retrieved 2024-02-03^
- Isro's arm NSIL to launch largest-ever Australian sat with its new rocket The Times of India, 2024-06-27, retrieved 2024-06-28^
- Inauguration of new NSIL office at GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat www.isro.gov.in, retrieved 2026-02-13^