30 Indian companies have answered Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre’s (IN-SPACe) call to build and operate constellations of Earth observation (EO) satellites in a private-public partnership to reduce India’s reliance on foreign data for defense, infrastructure management and other critical mapping needs.
In July, IN-SPACe had sought expressions of interest (EoI) to build home-grown satellite constellations as part of a strategy to monetise the sector and ensure data sovereignty. The applicants include startups like Pixxel and SatSure, as well as larger entities like Tata Advanced Systems. Technical evaluations are expected to be completed by the end of January, followed by a tender to determine the winning bidder.
IN-SPACe is seeking applicants to invest at least Rs 850 million ($ 10 million) in space-related activities, with a valuation of Rs 8.5 billion or a turnover of Rs 2 billion in the past three years. The winner must also establish spacecraft control centres in India or partner with ground station service providers. The government plans to provide up to 3.5 billion, with private companies covering the remaining costs. IIFCL Projects Limited is overseeing the bidding process.
