Over 100 ISRO scientists just quit — and the government responded by taking away the exit door.
From July 14, 2026, no local ISRO center director can approve a resignation anymore.
Every exit request from Gaganyaan and other critical missions now needs sign-off from the Department of Space itself.
That's not a policy tweak.
That's a red alert.
Here's the part nobody wants to say out loud.
Private space startups are paying scientists 2 to 3 times their government salary.
Plus equity.
Plus flat teams, faster decisions, real ownership.
Skyroot Aerospace just became India's first space tech unicorn — valued at $1.1 billion, backed by names like GIC and BlackRock-linked funds.
Agnikul isn't far behind.
Why would a young engineer wait a decade for a promotion… when a startup offers stock and a rocket to build now.
ISRO's chief says missions aren't affected.
Maybe true.
But zoom out.
SpaceX proved reusable rockets work best outside government bureaucracy.
China let private players compete alongside its state program too.
India opened its space sector to private companies in 2020.
This talent drain might be that decision finally paying off.
India's space economy sits at $8.4 billion today.
Projected to hit $44 billion by 2033.
That growth needs engineers who know how to build rockets — wherever they end up working.
So tightening exit paperwork might slow the bleeding.
But it won't fix the pay gap.
And if ISRO-trained minds end up building India's own SpaceX from the outside…
that's not really a loss.
That's the mission succeeding in a different building.
That's all for now!
