The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) on August 12, 2025, officially announced the selection of a consortium led by Bangalore-based Pixxel Space India to develop and operate India's first fully indigenous commercial Earth Observation (EO) satellite constellation.

This project represents a landmark achievement under a pioneering public-private partnership (PPP) model aimed at boosting India's geospatial intelligence capabilities.

The consortium consists of PixxelSpace India, Piersight Space, Satsure Analytics India, and Dhruva Space. Together, they will invest over ₹1,200 crore over the next five years to design, build, and operate a network of 12 advanced EO satellites.

These satellites will be equipped with a comprehensive range of sensors including panchromatic, multispectral, hyperspectral, and microwave Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors. This sensor mix will enable the constellation to provide high-resolution, analysis-ready data around the clock and in all weather conditions, dramatically enhancing the operational capabilities compared to existing EO systems.

The satellite constellation aims to serve a broad array of critical sectors including agriculture, disaster management, marine surveillance, national security, climate monitoring, land-use mapping, water quality monitoring, urban planning, and infrastructure development. By generating indigenous satellite data, the project will significantly cut India's dependence on foreign EO data, thereby strengthening the nation's data sovereignty and positioning India as a global leader in space-based geospatial intelligence.

IN-SPACe emphasised that the project will boost the coming of age of India’s private space industry, demonstrating the technological maturity and commercial viability of Indian private companies to lead large-scale, advanced space missions that serve both national and international markets.

Under the PPP model, while the government provides strategic, technical, and policy support, the consortium is responsible for satellite manufacturing, launches from Indian soil, establishment and operation of ground infrastructure, and commercialisation of satellite data and value-added services.

The deployment of the entire 12-satellite network will be phased over four years, with a focus on rapid execution and leveraging modular, software-defined radar electronics for quick iteration and alignment with IN-SPACe’s milestones. This makes the constellation among the most advanced EO systems globally and a fully designed, built, launched, and operated Indian sovereign space asset.

Key leaders in the consortium highlighted their complementary strengths: Dhruva Space brings expertise across the full space stack including launch capabilities, Piersight Space focuses on delivering radar-first, analysis-ready products with low latency, and Satsure Analytics adds analytical capabilities catering to enterprises and government agencies requiring actionable intelligence.

The project is also expected to create thousands of high-skill jobs and contribute significantly to India's ambitious goal of expanding the space economy from $8.4 billion in 2022 to $44 billion by 2033. CEO Awais Ahmed of Pixxel stated that this consortium's win and mission represent a historic milestone not only for his company but for the entire Indian private space sector, marking a moment for India to lead the world in space-powered solutions with homegrown capabilities.

Tthe Pixxel-led consortium’s initiative under IN-SPACe’s EO-PPP model is a transformative step for the Indian space ecosystem, promising advanced technological innovation, strategic autonomy, and significant commercial growth potential in Earth Observation satellite capabilities.

Based On Money Control Report