The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) has partnered with four space startups to create India’s initial private Earth observation satellite constellation. This collaboration, named Allied Orbits, includes Pixxel, Dhruva Space, PierSight, and Satsure. Under a Public-Private Partnership framework, these startups will construct and manage the nation’s premier privately led national satellite system.
In the upcoming five years, the consortium plans to invest more than Rs 1,200 crore. Their objective is to launch 12 satellites that will cover very high-resolution optical, multispectral, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and hyperspectral imaging. This initiative aims to provide continuous and dependable access to earth intelligence.
The consortium’s expertise in space hardware, analytics, and mission operations will establish a comprehensive ecosystem covering satellites, ground infrastructure, value-added services, and end-user analytics. These satellites will offer Analysis Ready Data (ARD) and additional services for various applications like agriculture, disaster management, climate monitoring, infrastructure planning, and national security.
The program will ensure reliable access to Earth observation data for Indian government users and facilitate global commercialization across sectors such as agriculture, environment, infrastructure, energy, and maritime. By reducing reliance on foreign satellite data, the initiative will enhance India’s geospatial and space-based services ecosystem through structured public-private collaboration.
“This is a significant step showcasing India’s space ambitions. It marks the country’s control over its Earth intelligence infrastructure, managed by Indian companies to primarily serve domestic requirements,” stated Awais Ahmed, Founder and CEO of Pixxel. The government’s decision to entrust this national project to a consortium of Indian startups underscores the capability of the country’s private space sector to deliver global-scale infrastructure.
The consortium’s satellite constellation will revolutionize how India generates, utilizes, and disseminates Earth observation data in the future, working closely with the government to achieve substantial strategic outcomes. “This collaboration represents the essence of the new space economy: rapid innovation and agility in the private sector, implemented on a national level,” Ahmed emphasized.
