Hindustan Aeronautics wins bid to privately make small satellite launch rockets

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has won the bid to manufacture India’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), the country's space regulator said on Friday. At the time of publishing, HAL shares were trading at ₹4,977.60, up 1.54% from the previous close.

The announcement was made by the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe).

HAL secured the SSLV technology transfer with a winning bid of ₹511 crore.


HAL emerged as the top bidder for the transfer of technology (ToT) from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), outpacing two qualified consortiums led by Adani Group’s Alpha Design and Bharat Dynamics Ltd.

Interestingly, HAL applied solo, not as part of a consortium, setting itself apart in the bidding process.

This is the Indian government’s most decisive move yet to open its burgeoning space sector to private industry.

With this win, HAL gains the rights not just to build but also to own and commercialise SSLV launches, a key milestone in India’s push to create a thriving commercial space ecosystem.

The SSLV can carry payloads of up to 500kg to low-Earth orbit and is aimed at meeting the growing global demand for small satellite deployment, Reuters reported, citing Pawan Goenka, Chairperson of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe).

The bidding process drew early interest from nearly 20 companies. This is the first such strategic transfer of rocket technology under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policy reforms to liberalise India’s space economy.

Globally, the market for low-Earth orbit launch vehicles was valued at $13.9 billion in 2023 and is projected to triple to $44 billion by 2032, according to Global Market Insights.

India, which currently holds just a 2% share of the global space economy, is targeting a fivefold jump, aiming to grow from $8 billion to $44 billion by 2030, reported Reuters.