NEW DELHI (AFP) — India has sent spacecraft to Mars and the Moon, put hundreds of satellites into orbit and will in the coming days launch its first privately developed orbital-class rocket.

New Delhi’s space economy — valued at $8.4 billion — has rapidly expanded since the sector opened up to private investment in 2020, attracting more than 400 space startups.

Several key government and private firms collaborating with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) also work on defense, creating increasing overlap between space and security.

But Skyroot Aerospace’s plans to launch the country’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket before 4 August mark the next major step for the growing Indian space industry.

“India is pursuing ambitious goals across deep-space exploration, space science, human spaceflight and orbital infrastructure,” the Department of Space said.

“These achievements reflect growing confidence, technological maturity, and a long-term vision for India’s role in the global space ecosystem.”

In 2014, India became the first Asian nation to put a spacecraft into orbit around Mars.

ISRO has also made strides with its lunar probe program called Chandrayaan, or “Mooncraft” in Sanskrit.

The program included a 2008 lunar orbiter, a failed 2019 landing attempt and a successful 2023 mission that deployed a rover.

The rover mission made India the fourth nation to land an unmanned craft on the Moon after Russia, the United States and China.