IN-SPACe, 4 space startups tie up to build India’s 1st private Earth observation constellation

January 21, 2026

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.

IN-SPACe Partners Startups for Private Satellite Constellation

Led by Pixxel, the consortium—named Allied Orbits—comprises Pixxel, Dhruva Space, PierSight, and Satsure. Under a Public-Private Partnership framework, the startups will design, build, own, and operate the country’s first privately led national satellite system, according to an official statement.

Rs 1,200 Crore Investment to Deploy 12 Advanced Satellites

Over the next five years, the consortium will invest more than Rs 1,200 crore to deploy 12 satellites equipped with very high-resolution optical, multispectral, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and hyperspectral imaging capabilities. This will enable continuous and reliable access to Earth intelligence.

The initiative combines expertise in space hardware, analytics, and mission operations to build an end-to-end ecosystem spanning satellites, ground infrastructure, value-added services, and end-user analytics.

Boost to Earth Intelligence, National Security and Commercial Use

The satellites will deliver Analysis Ready Data (ARD) and value-added services for agriculture, disaster management, climate monitoring, infrastructure planning, and national security. IN-SPACe said the programme will ensure reliable access to Earth observation data for Indian government users while enabling global commercialisation across multiple sectors.

The initiative is expected to reduce India’s dependence on foreign satellite data and strengthen the country’s geospatial ecosystem through structured public-private collaboration. Pixxel Founder and CEO Awais Ahmed described the project as a landmark step toward building India’s own Earth intelligence infrastructure powered by private innovation at a national scale.