The Union Cabinet gave a green signal to ISRO's many space activities on September 18, that include the plan for the Venus orbiter mission, the development of an Indian space station, the next-generation launch vehicle development,

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday green-lit four important space endeavours for launches by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) in the near future.

ISRO will lead these missions with substantial support from Indian industries and academic institutions. The developments are expected to not only boost India’s space sector but also create significant employment and economic opportunities across various industries.

The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the development of the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV). This initiative aims to enhance India's space capabilities with a focus on human spaceflight and lunar missions by 2040.

Chandrayaan-4 for lunar sample return, Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035, and a Venus Orbiter Mission. Additionally, the development of the Soorya rocket, a reusable next-generation launch vehicle with enhanced payload capacity,

All the missions are time-bound and there has been good progress on all of these,” said Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw while announcing the Cabinet decisions. The Indian Space Research Organisation ( Isro) will aim for a March 2028 launch for the Venus mission — when Earth and Venus are at their closest.

The project is estimated to cost Rs 2,104 crore. The Indian government has also approved the construction of the first unit of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, extending the scope of the Gaganyaan programme.

India’s space vision has been extended with the approval for the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), which will serve as the country’s first space station by 2035.