India's Space Launch Costs Among the Highest Globally: Study
• A recent study published in Economics Letters reveals that India's per-unit cost of launching payloads into orbit is the highest among major spacefaring nations. In 2025, it cost $13,302 per kilogram to low-Earth orbit on Indian rockets, compared to $3,225 in the U.S. and a global average of $3,
• The study attributes this to ISRO's reliance on smaller rockets, which distribute fixed costs over smaller payloads. Despite efforts to increase launch frequency, India conducted only five launches in 2025, far below the 30 projected by IN-SPACe.
Impact & Risks
The high costs are pushing Indian satellite operators to seek foreign launch services, such as SpaceX's Falcon 9. This dependency could pose geopolitical risks, as reliance on foreign launch providers may limit India's strategic autonomy. The findings also highlight the need for India to scale up its launch frequency to remain competitive in the global space market.
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