Agnikul, ICEYE tie up to explore sovereign satellite and launch system in India

Homegrown space startup Agnikul Cosmos has signed an agreement with Finnish satellite company ICEYE to explore building an end-to-end sovereign earth observation system in India, combining locally manufactured satellites with launches on an indigenous rocket.

The proposed partnership will focus on Synthetic Aperture Radar, or SAR, satellites, which can capture images of the Earth through clouds and darkness. Such systems are increasingly used for defence surveillance, disaster management, environmental monitoring and tracking changes in sensitive areas.

Under the memorandum of understanding, ICEYE will explore setting up satellite manufacturing capabilities in India, while Agnikul will provide launch services through its Agnibaan rocket platform. The companies are also evaluating a repeatable model under which satellites could be manufactured, launched and operated without depending on foreign launch schedules.

“Previously, building and launching a satellite system privately in India mostly meant piecing together foreign technology and waiting on timelines that we as a nation did not control,” said Srinath Ravichandran, co-founder and CEO of Agnikul Cosmos.

“This partnership aims to change that equation. Applications such as disaster response, sensitive area monitoring and security are national priorities, and India deserves sovereign capabilities to support them,” he added.

The announcement comes as India seeks to increase private-sector participation in space and build domestic capabilities across satellite manufacturing, launch services and data-based intelligence. However, the agreement remains exploratory, and the companies did not disclose investment plans, manufacturing timelines or potential customers.

Agnikul co-founder and chief operating officer Moin SPM said the proposed partnership was designed to go beyond a single satellite mission.

“By combining manufacturing, launch and operational capabilities under one ecosystem, we can create a repeatable model that can support long-term deployment programmes for customers in India and around the world,” he said.

ICEYE operates a constellation of more than 70 SAR satellites and has supplied sovereign satellite systems to governments in Europe. The company sees India as a potential manufacturing base for satellites intended for both domestic and overseas customers.

“India is an important market for us as demand for sovereign intelligence capabilities continues to grow globally,” said Rafał Modrzewski, co-founder and CEO of ICEYE.

Agnikul is developing Agnibaan, a small-satellite launch vehicle powered by single-piece 3D-printed engines. The IIT Madras-incubated company completed its maiden controlled flight from its private launchpad in 2024.