India’s private space sector could put 300 satellites in orbit in 3-5 yrs: Ex-ISRO scientist

The industry is looking at a huge demand for skilled manpower, and students need to be made aware of the opportunities emerging in the space sector, Bhatt said.

3 min readUpdated: Aug 12, 2026 09:14 AM IST

Bhatt said the country was now entering a new phase with increasing participation from private players.

Prof Hiren Bhatt, former scientist with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said India’s rapidly expanding private space sector could see more than 200–300 satellites being placed in orbit over the next three to five years, creating significant opportunities in technology, employment and scientific research. Bhatt who mentors students, startups and young innovators was in Pune and told The Indian Express that as per estimates, Indian companies would require at least 40,000 technically skilled professionals over the next five years.

Bhatt will be delivering a lecture on the occasion of the birth anniversary of the father of India’s space programme Dr Vikram Sarabhai, which is celebrated on August 1, at MIT-WPU. He will speak on India’s space programme – past, present and future.

Bhatt said the country was now entering a new phase with increasing participation from private players. “In the next three to five years, we are going to have more than 200 to 300 satellites in orbit by private players,” he said. The expansion of the private space industry is also expected to generate a substantial demand for skilled professionals. Bhatt said Indian companies could require around 40,000 technically skilled professionals over the next five years.

The industry is looking at a huge demand for skilled manpower, and students need to be made aware of the opportunities emerging in the space sector, Bhatt said. India’s space ecosystem has witnessed rapid growth since private participation was opened up. According to Bhatt, more than 200 startups have emerged in the sector, with companies developing satellites, launch vehicles and other space technologies. “The emergence of a space-sector unicorn and successful maiden rocket launches by private companies are important milestones in the development of the ecosystem,” he said.

At a discussion at EPOCH

Mentoring startups and young innovators

Bhatt mentors startups and young entrepreneurs in the space sector. He regularly interacts with students and conducts lectures tocreategreater awareness about space science, technology and career opportunities. He said young innovators often have ambitious goals but require guidance to convert those ideas into achievable targets. “Youngsters have goals, but they need guidance to meet those targets and understand what is required at the right time,” he said.

Bhatt hopes to further engage with universities and other institutions to introduce space technology into educational programmes across states. In Pune, Bhatt also interacted with members at Epoch launchpad foundation, a Pune based AI and deeptech focussed accelerator. Sanjay Phadke, one of the founders of Epoch said their foundation is positioned to help breakthrough technology ventures accelerated with mentorship and assistance on technology, product validation and investments. “Prof Bhatt and I are part of an emerging global space data centre initiative,” Phadke said.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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