IN-SPACe ties up with startups for private Earth observation satellites

IN-SPACe has partnered with four space startups led by Pixxel to build India’s first private Earth observation satellite constellation. The project, under a public-private model, aims to boost access to Earth intelligence and reduce reliance on foreign data

New Delhi: The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) on Wednesday teamed up with four space startups to build India’s first private Earth observation satellite constellation.

Led by Pixxel, the consortium — named Allied Orbits — comprises Pixxel, Dhruva Space, PierSight, and Satsure.

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The space startups will design, build, own, and operate the country’s first privately led national satellite system under a Public-Private Partnership framework, as per an official statement.

In the next five years, the consortium will invest over Rs 1,200 crore. They will deploy 12 satellites spanning very high-resolution optical, multispectral, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and hyperspectral imaging, enabling continuous and reliable access to earth intelligence.

The consortium also combines strengths in space hardware, analytics, and mission operations to create an end-to-end ecosystem spanning satellites, ground infrastructure, value-added services, and end-user analytics.

The satellites will deliver Analysis Ready Data (ARD) and value-added services for applications including agriculture, disaster management, climate monitoring, infrastructure planning, and national security.

According to IN-SPACe, the programme will also provide reliable access to Earth observation data for Indian government users. It will also enable global commercialisation across sectors such as agriculture, environment, infrastructure, energy, and maritime.

The initiative will reduce dependence on foreign satellite data and strengthen India’s geospatial and space-based services ecosystem through structured public-private collaboration.

“This is a powerful declaration of India’s intent in space. For the first time, India will control its own Earth intelligence infrastructure, designed and operated by Indian companies, serving Indian needs first and global markets second,” said Awais Ahmed, Founder and CEO of Pixxel.

“By entrusting this Rs 1,200+ crore national project to a consortium of Indian startups, the government validates the country’s private space ecosystem and its ability to deliver infrastructure on a global scale,” he added.

The consortium will build a constellation that will shape how India produces, uses, and shares Earth observation data in the years ahead, in close partnership with the government to deliver large-scale strategic impact.

“This is what the new space economy looks like: private sector speed and innovation, deployed at national scale,” Ahmed said.