ISRO Remains Public: Chairman Narayanan Counters Rumours of Privatization and Answers Employee Questions

Speaking on the sidelines of the Bengaluru Space Expo 2026, ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan tried to put a damper on the swirling speculation that India’s space agency might be sold off or handed over to private hands. He was clear, almost as if reading a memo out loud: ISRO is not being privatised.

He went on to remind the gathered journalists and, by extension, the nation that the reforms introduced six years ago were never about dismantling the organisation. “The space‑sector reform is about handing‑hand to the private sector, helping it grow, and expanding the whole Indian space ecosystem,” he said, his tone mixing reassurance with a hint of pride.

That point was underlined with a quick look at the numbers. Whenever a PSLV or a GSLV lifts off, it isn’t just the work of a handful of scientists in a government lab. Roughly eighty percent of the budget for each launch comes from Indian industry – about 450 firms that already have a seat at the table. “We’re not alone in sending rockets to space,” Narayanan smiled.

He also acknowledged that some of his own colleagues have been uneasy. “Their concerns are genuine, and it’s our duty to clarify,” he admitted. The worry, he explained, centres on whether ISRO’s core functions – manufacturing, operations, research – would be stripped away. The answer, according to the chairman, is a firm no: the agency will continue to lead strategic missions, while private players will handle more of the routine launch cadence.

India aims for roughly fifty launches a year, a target that simply can’t be met by ISRO alone. “Fifty launches will be achieved by Indians, in India,” Narayanan said, emphasising that the goal is a collective national effort, not a hand‑over to a corporate board.

When asked if the agency would formally reply to a letter signed by a few staff members, Narayanan chuckled that writing a response for a handful of signatures doesn’t make sense when the workforce numbers about 20,000. “We will address the employees,” he promised, noting that regular communication channels are already in place.

IN‑SPACe Chairman Dr Pawan Kumar Goenka echoed the sentiment, saying the government’s push for private participation sits squarely within the Indian Space Policy and that technology transfers are proceeding as planned.

Funding, another sore point, was brushed aside. “The government allocates whatever ISRO needs each year. If we ask for more, they’ll fund more. There’s no shortage,” Narayanan assured.

On attrition, the chairman noted that about 150 scientists resign each year – a figure he called “normal” for an organisation of 20,000 staff. “The increase is marginal, nothing alarming,” he concluded.

In short, the reforms are about widening the space playground for Indian companies, not about selling the playground itself. ISRO will keep steering the country’s most ambitious missions while inviting the private sector to join the ride.