The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is the national space agency of India, an institution headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Its origin traces back to the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR), which was set up in 1962 by the Government of India on the recommendation of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. ISRO was formally established on August 15, 1969, superseding INCOSPAR with the objective of harnessing space technology for national development and solving the problem of applying space science for the socio-economic benefit of the country.
ISRO functions as the principal research and development arm of the Department of Space (DoS), which was established in 1972 and is directly overseen by the Prime Minister of India. The Chairman of ISRO also serves as the chief executive of the DoS and the chair of the Space Commission, which formulates the policies for the Indian space programme. Its mechanism involves developing launch vehicles like the PSLV and GSLV, designing satellites for communication (INSAT) and remote sensing (IRS), and conducting deep space exploration missions like Chandrayaan-3 and the Mars Orbiter Mission.
ISRO connects to several related institutions, including its commercial wings, Antrix Corporation (established in 1992) and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), which market its products and services. A significant recent change is the establishment of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), which acts as India's private space sector regulator, signaling a shift towards greater private sector participation in activities traditionally handled by ISRO. While ISRO continues its core R&D and mission execution, the new structure aims to allow private entities to use ISRO's infrastructure and take on more production roles.