What happened?
On August 6, 2025, the Government informed Parliament that the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Third Launch Pad (TLP), currently under construction at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, is expected to be operational by March 2029. The update was provided by Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Dr. Jitendra Singh, in response to a parliamentary question.
Why it matters to India
The TLP marks a significant expansion of India’s space launch infrastructure and will enable ISRO to launch significantly heavier payloads, including advanced spacecraft and future human spaceflight missions. The ₹4,000 crore project includes key milestones such as completion of civil works by May 2028, fluid systems installation by July 2028, launch pad facilities by September 2028, and full commissioning by March 2029. The TLP will enhance redundancy, improve scheduling flexibility, and support upcoming strategic goals, including the Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035 and India’s proposed crewed lunar mission by 2040. The government also plans to involve Indian private sector firms and MSMEs through competitive tendering for various project components, reinforcing the role of public-private collaboration in India’s space ambitions.