New Delhi, Jan 21 (NationPress) The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) has partnered with four innovative space startups to develop India’s inaugural private Earth observation satellite constellation.

Headed by Pixxel, the collaborative group, termed Allied Orbits, includes Dhruva Space, PierSight, and Satsure.

This coalition will design, construct, possess, and manage the nation’s first privately led satellite system through a Public-Private Partnership framework, as stated in an official announcement.

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

The consortium brings together expertise in space hardware, analytics, and mission operations, creating a comprehensive ecosystem that encompasses satellites, ground infrastructure, value-added services, and end-user analytics.

The satellites will offer Analysis Ready Data (ARD) and additional services for diverse applications, including agriculture, disaster management, climate monitoring, infrastructure planning, and national security.

According to IN-SPACe, this initiative will also guarantee reliable access to Earth observation data for Indian governmental users and promote global commercialization across various sectors such as agriculture, environment, infrastructure, energy, and maritime.

This effort aims to lessen dependence on foreign satellite data and enhance India’s geospatial and space-based services ecosystem through structured public-private collaboration.

“This is a significant statement of India’s ambitions in space. For the first time, India will manage its own Earth intelligence infrastructure, designed and operated by Indian companies, prioritizing Indian needs while catering to global markets,” remarked Awais Ahmed, Founder and CEO of Pixxel.

“By delegating this national project, valued at over Rs 1,200 crore, to a consortium of Indian startups, the government affirms the nation’s private space ecosystem and its potential to provide global infrastructure,” he added.

The consortium aims to establish a constellation that will transform how India generates, utilizes, and disseminates Earth observation data in the coming years, in close collaboration with the government to achieve large-scale strategic impacts.

“This exemplifies the new space economy: the private sector's agility and innovation, applied on a national scale,” Ahmed stated.