ISRO Faces Challenges in Defence-Linked Satellite Launches Amid Growing Space Competition

Between 2017 and 2026, ISRO conducted 44 satellite launches, with five failures all linked to national defence missions. Recent setbacks, including the PSLV-C62 launch failure in January 2026, have raised concerns about reliability, testing, and quality control. These failures affect India's space-based surveillance and autonomy, amid challenges like slowing launch frequency, satellite production delays, and limited orbital slots. Despite successes, India faces competition from established space powers and must address systemic issues to strengthen its space ecosystem.