What are the new guidelines set by IN-SPACe for Indian and foreign hosted-payloads | Explained

The story so far: The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) on September 17, 2026, released a document titled Norms, Guidelines and Procedures for implementation of the Indian Space Policy 2023 in respect of authorisation for establishment and operation of hosted-payloads.

Why has IN-SPACe released the document ?

IN-SPACe, which is the single-window agency for all space sector activities of private entities in the country, has released this document due to the increasing number of private participants, which it refers to as Non-Government Indian Entities (NGEs). These NGEs over the last few years have been developing and deploying payloads for Earth observation, space science, communications, technology demonstration and other space-based applications. IN-SPACe says the guidelines will help the Indian companies to access space-based infrastructure through hosted-payload opportunities, while ensuring compliance with applicable technical, safety, security, spectrum, orbital and other regulatory requirements.

What are ‘hosted-payloads’?

According to the document, they are instruments, systems, and transponders which are hosted on satellites. These payloads may be owned by private entities, mounted on third-party satellites to use available capacity or to avail of Satellite-as-a-Service (SaaS) provided by the satellite owner or operator.

The hosted-payloads may be owned by Indian entities and hosted on non-Indian host space-objects, Indian payloads or non-Indian entities housed on Indian host space-objects, or even payloads which are hosted on the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) or similar platforms.

What does the document say?

IN-SPACe has mandated that any hosted-payload owned by an Indian entity and which is being hosted on an Indian or non-Indian satellite will require authorisation from it. The nodal agency also specifies that it has to submit an application seeking authorisation for a single payload or multiple payloads which can be hosted on a satellite or constellation of satellites. It also specifies that the applicant (Indian entities), at the time of application submission to IN-SPACe, shall provide the information on the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) filing under which the host space-object and hosted-payloads shall operate.

What does the document say about non-Indian entities ?

The document says that non-Indian entities are exempt from seeking authorisation from IN-SPACe to host their payloads on Indian space-objects.

Instead, IN-SPACe says that it does not require authorisation for non-Indian-hosted-payload owners, provided that they follow relevant laws and regulations. However, the host entity must provide all information about the hosted-payloads.

It further states that the objectives and operations of hosted-payloads must comply with applicable international laws, treaties, agreements, guidelines and standards, including the Outer Space Treaty, Liability Convention and Registration Convention, along with other relevant international obligations.

What about national security ?

Keeping national security, geopolitical considerations or harmful interference with other satellite networks in mind, the guidelines specify that IN-SPACe, in consultation with other departments and Ministries, may regulate the operation of the hosted-payload(s), and the host entity shall cease the emissions and operations of the host space-object, including that of the hosted-payload as applicable, without any delay, in such cases.

Further, the host entity will also have to maintain the information regarding the data pertaining to Indian territory captured by the hosted-payload, for a minimum of six months and shall submit the information to IN-SPACe as and when sought.

The agency also reserves the right to direct the host entity to switch off the hosted-payload if it finds that the hosted -payload owner is violating the Data Dissemination Guidelines.

Also, the owner shall indemnify the host entity and the Government of India in case of any third-party liability claims arising from its hosted-payloads, in accordance with the Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space-Objects (1972).

How many NGEs are registered in India?

According to information provided in Parliament in August by the Union Minister of State for the Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)  Start-up India Portal has listed around 440 space technology startups registered in India. IN-SPACe has granted 113 authorisations to 52 Non-Government Entities (NGEs) to carry out various space activities, out of which 18 are start-ups.