NEW DELHI: The country has earned a sum of approximately Rs 662 crore ($17 million and 78.5 million Euros) by launching 45 satellites from 19 countries using Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

The commercial wing of the ISRO, Antrix Corporation Limited, has been generating income with commercial arrangements through launching of satellites of foreign countries on-board ISRO’s launch vehicle. 

Space Department sources said the launch missions conducted by ISRO for launching Indian satellites are intended for National development. 

Antrix has signed agreements for launching 28 more foreign satellites from six countries:  Algeria - three, Canada – four, Germany - four, Indonesia - two, Singapore – six and the United States – nine.

The launches of these foreign satellites are envisaged during the 2015-2017 time period. Discussions with foreign agencies and companies are going on for providing launch services to their satellites on-board ISRO’s PSLV and Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). 

Furthermore, the images received from the Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites (RESOURCESAT-2, RISAT-1 and CARTOSAT-1) are marketed globally by Antrix through International Ground Stations established outside India. The IRS images of regions outside India received and processed at ISRO’s Ground Station are also marketed to global customers through Antrix.