GSLV and SSLV rockets will be built by private consortiums in addition to PSLV, according to ISRO’s director.

It was revealed earlier this month that the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, the nation’s most dependable rocket, will shortly be produced and deployed by the private sector (PSLV).

The ISRO Chairman Dr. S. Somnath said on Monday, during the launch of India’s first satellite broadband service, that commercial consortiums will soon manufacture India’s big rockets known as Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicles (GSLV).

When asked if ISRO will work with the private sector to develop heavier launch vehicles, the ISRO director responded in the affirmative.

‘In due course time, we will be handing over the manufacturing of GSLV-MK III and SSLV to industrial consortiums. That is our plan for the long term to hand over all operational launches…to be rebuilt, relaunched and operated on a commercial basis by NSIL (New Space India Limited) [ISRO’s commercial arm].’ Dr Somnath told in an interview

The bid for the construction of five PSLV rockets over a four-year period was won by a partnership between the privately owned L&T and the government-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

During the opening session of the seventh Bengaluru Space Expo 2022, HAL and NSIL (New Space India Limited), the commercial arm of ISRO, exchanged a contract for the same. With its $109 million (Rs 860 crore) bid, the HAL-led consortium won the competitive bidding process.