Adani Group Among Finalists for India's SSLV Privatisation Bid:

Indian conglomerate Adani Group is a finalist, along with two government-linked groups, in the race to take over the private production of India’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The SSLV, developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is a cost-effective vehicle designed to deploy satellites of up to 500 kg (1,100 pounds) into low-Earth orbit (LEO), the most in-demand sector of the satellite launch market.

Following its first successful launch in 2023, the Indian government initiated the transfer of the SSLV’s production and technology to private industry as part of broader efforts to expand India’s commercial space sector. This move is the most significant aspect of India's privatisation push, aimed at increasing the country's share in the rapidly growing global satellite launch industry, currently dominated by private players like SpaceX.

“LEO is the name of the game right now, so the potential winner has the opportunity to really tap into a rapidly growing market,” said Damodaran Raman, a director at Deloitte specializing in space tech.

Three Finalists in the SSLV Bid

Initially, around 20 companies expressed interest in bidding for the SSLV—the first privatisation of its kind under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative to open India’s space industry to private players.

The three finalist consortiums include:

Alpha Design Technologies, in which Adani Defence Systems and Technologies has a stake.

State-backed Bharat Dynamics Limited.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

Reuters could not verify the exact structure of each bidding group. The companies did not respond to requests for comment, and the sources requested anonymity as bid details are not public.

Winning Bidder’s Responsibilities and Market Opportunities

The winning bidder is expected to pay ISRO approximately 3 billion rupees ($30 million) for SSLV-related intellectual property, covering design expertise, manufacturing processes, quality assurance training, and up to 24 months of technical support or two successful launches, according to one source.

Beyond financial capability, the bidders must demonstrate expertise in manufacturing, sustaining, and marketing the SSLV.

A second source highlighted that the limited availability of launch slots with major industry players like SpaceX presents a unique opportunity for new entrants, enabling them to position themselves as key launch partners for South Asia.

India’s Growing Space Ambitions

The global satellite launch market is projected to grow from $5.6 billion in 2025 to $113 billion by 2030, with LEO launches dominating, according to Mordor Intelligence.

Currently, India accounts for only 2% of the global space economy, but the Modi government aims to expand this share fivefold to $44 billion by the end of the decade.

To qualify for the SSLV contract, bidding companies were required to be profitable, with the lead bidder having at least five years of manufacturing experience and an annual revenue of at least 4 billion rupees ($50 million), as per India’s space regulator.