From Monopoly to Market: India’s Transition to Shared Space Governance in the IN-SPACE Era

Abstract

India’s engagement with outer space has traditionally been governed through a centralized and state-controlled institutional framework dominated by the Indian Space Research Organization. This model enabled the country to attain significant technological capabilities and international recognition despite limited economic resources. However, the absence of private participation and a comprehensive domestic legal framework constrained the commercial and innovative potential of India’s space sector. The adoption of the Indian Space Policy, 2023 represents a fundamental shift in India’s approach to space governance by formally opening the sector to non-governmental entities and redefining the role of state institutions. At the center of this transition lies the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre, which functions as a regulatory and facilitative authority for private space activities. This article examines India’s evolving space governance structure in the context of international space law obligations and critically evaluates the role of IN-SPACe in managing the shift from state monopoly to shared governance. It also reflects upon the scholarly legacy of Late Prof. (Dr.) V. S. Mani and analyses the emergence of India’s first private space agency as a symbol of institutional and philosophical transformation in Indian space governance.