India’s Space Programme Faces Crisis: Questions Raised Over ISRO’s High Costs and Failures

New Delhi: India’s space programme and the development narrative promoted by the Modi government have come under scrutiny following a recent European study highlighting the high costs, operational failures and organizational challenges associated with India’s space missions. According to the reported global data, India has emerged as one of the countries with exceptionally high costs for unsuccessful space launches.

Launch Costs More Than Three Times the Global Average

According to the European research report cited by the British broadcaster, serious shortcomings have been identified in the financial and operational model of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO):

$13,300 per kilogram: India’s space-launch cost is reported to have reached approximately $13,300 per kilogram.

Comparison with the global average: This is more than three times the reported global average of $3,868 per kilogram.

Limited capacity: Over its 57-year history, the Indian space agency has reportedly launched a total of only 105 rockets into space.

Failed Rocket Tests and Departure of Senior Scientists

The report further points to financial pressures on ISRO, while technical problems and failed experiments in recent years have reportedly raised concerns about the organization’s performance and credibility.

More than 100 senior scientists and technical experts are reported to have left the organization amid internal administrative challenges and growing concerns over working conditions.

Experts argue that despite a substantial budget and significant expenditure, the failure to achieve the expected results raises serious questions about the efficiency and effectiveness of India’s space programme.