Why Isro is seeing more exits and what it could mean for India's space push

Why is the government making it harder for some Isro scientists to leave? The answer lies in India's growing private space industry, and lessons from abroad

More than 100 scientists of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) have reportedly resigned or opted for voluntary retirement in recent months. The development comes as India prepares for a series of high-profile missions, including Gaganyaan and Chandrayaan-4.

 

The Department of Space (DoS) has now tightened the process for accepting resignations and voluntary retirement requests from scientists working on critical missions. At the same time, Isro has said its programmes remain on schedule, while the Centre has maintained that staff movement is not unusual.

What's happening at Isro?

An internal Office Memorandum issued by the Department of Space on July 4, cited in several reports by India Today, said there has been a rise in requests for voluntary retirement and resignation from Group 'A' scientific and technical personnel.

 

 

The memorandum, according to the report, stated that these requests, "including those associated with the prestigious Gaganyaan and other important missions/projects", severely impact the implementation of "projects of national importance".

 

"Voluntary retirement and resignation requests from Scientific & Technical personnel associated with the Gaganyaan and other important Mission/Projects may not be accepted as a matter of routine," the memorandum further read, according to the India Today report.

 

The purported order advised directors of Isro centres and heads of units not to approve such requests from scientists working on these missions. Requests from scientists below the rank of Scientist/Engineer-SG may instead be sent to the DoS, along with recommendations, for a final decision.

 

However, Union Minister Jitendra Singh has rejected suggestions that the resignations point to a crisis. "Many have gone, many have come," Singh told India Today, adding that such movements are routine and that Isro’s missions have not been affected.

Is this unusual?

Not necessarily.

 

For decades, government space agencies were the primary employers for aerospace scientists and engineers. Those who wanted to build rockets, satellites or deep-space missions largely worked at organisations such as Nasa, Isro or China's state-run space programme.

 

That changed as commercial space companies expanded. India entered this phase in 2020, when the government opened the space sector to private players through reforms that allowed non-government companies to participate in launch services, satellite manufacturing and other space activities.

 

As a result, movement between public agencies and private companies has become more common in several countries.

What happened in the US?

The US is one of the clearest examples in this regard.

 

Nasa built much of the country's space talent over several decades. As companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin and Rocket Lab grew, they began hiring engineers and senior officials with experience of working at Nasa.

 

For example, in 2023, SpaceX hired Kathy Lueders, who had led Nasa’s human spaceflight programme, to oversee Starship operations.

 

Career movement between Nasa and private companies has since become a regular feature of the US space industry.

What about China?

China is following a similar path, though under a different model.

 

Its state-backed space programme continues to dominate major missions through the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and state-owned aerospace groups. At the same time, Beijing has encouraged the growth of commercial launch companies such as LandSpace, Galactic Energy and iSpace while retaining tight state control over the sector.

 

In 2018, Zhang Xiaoping, a senior rocket engineer, left a state-owned rocket research institute to join a private space company.

 

The case had sparked a nationwide discussion about whether commercial firms were attracting experienced scientists and engineers with better pay and new opportunities. The institute later said it had overstated his role in official documents submitted during a labour dispute, but the incident did manage to trigger discussion about growing competition for skilled talent.

 

China is now racing to develop reusable rockets through both its state programme and commercial launch companies as it seeks to compete with SpaceX.

Is India entering the same phase?

India's space sector has changed a lot since the government opened it to private participation in 2020.

 

The country now has hundreds of space startups working on launch vehicles, satellites, propulsion systems and downstream applications. Many of these companies recruit engineers with experience in Isro’s programmes.

 

That demand comes as Isro is working on some of its biggest missions, including Gaganyaan, Chandrayaan-4, the Venus Orbiter Mission and other future projects.

 

The government's latest memo suggests it wants to balance that transition with the need to retain key personnel for national missions.